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Executive Summary

1.1 This document provides the Ofcom Statement with respect to making the 71-76 GHz and 81-86 GHz bands (the “Spectrum Bands”) available for point to point fixed wireless systems (FWS) on a light licensed basis in the UK.

1.2 Ofcom publicly consulted from 24 May 2006 to 2 August 2006 on proposals to make the Spectrum Bands available to the UK market. The consultation was conducted in light of increasing interest from the UK market to use of the Spectrum Bands for broadband point to point FWS.

1.3 The consultation sought views on the following:

• Amateur and Amateur Satellite allocations in the 75.5-76 GHz (beyond 31 December 2006) and 81-81.5 GHz bands.
• The appropriateness of a light licensed approach to facilitate access to the Spectrum Bands.
• The need to provide a regulatory mechanism for interference protection of fixed links operating in the Spectrum Bands.
• The implementation of a date/time priority protection rule for establishing interference protection of links.
• A fee based on £50 per link registered to provide the balance of providing access to the band and prevent hoarding of ‘paper’ links.
• Whether the CEPT channel plan (ECC Recommendation(05)07) should not be mandated and that a flexible band structure comprising 2 blocks of 4.75GHz would be appropriate to facilitate access to the Spectrum Bands.
• Whether a maximum interference threshold policy should be implemented and suggestions as to how this might implemented.
• Any other regulatory considerations relevant to the Spectrum Bands.

1.4 In response to the proposals set out in the consultation document Ofcom received 14 non-confidential responses. These are listed in Annex 1 and are published on Ofcom’s website at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/71-86ghz/responses/. In addition Ofcom received one confidential response to the proposals.

1.5 Of these 15 responses the large majority supported Ofcom’s plans for opening the Spectrum Bands on a light licensed basis. Two responses indicated that they preferred the more traditional way for managing the bands i.e. a fully licensed and co-ordinated approach, similar to the lower fixed link bands. This consideration however, has not caused Ofcom to change its overall approach in these bands and Ofcom has therefore decided to make the Spectrum Bands available in the UK for point to point FWS on a light licensed basis, using a registration system with an interference protection date to establish priority in the band.

1.6 Ofcom is grateful to the consultation respondents and has carefully considered the comments in developing the UK policy for the Spectrum Bands. In developing the policy, Ofcom has also taken into account a number of other considerations, including the principles of transparency and proportionality, the desirability of promoting competition, of encouraging investment and innovation, and the availability of high-speed data transfer services.

1.7 The UK policy also takes into account Ofcom’s strategy of keeping regulation to the minimum necessary and that a greater role should be given to the market in determining how spectrum is used, and by whom, rather than these decisions being determined by the regulator.

1.8 It is Ofcom’s intention to facilitate access to the Spectrum Bands through a light licensed and online registration system. While Ofcom develops such a system, interim procedures based on a manual system of licensing and registration will be implemented to facilitate access to the Spectrum Bands at the earliest possible time.

1.9 The table below summarises the key points of the Ofcom policy for the Spectrum Bands:

Issue	Policy
Available Spectrum	Ofcom will make available two bands, specifically 71.125-75.875 GHz and 81.125-85.875 GHz for broadband point to point fixed wireless links
Block/Channel Size	A 4.75 GHz block in each band.
Licence	An unlimited number of non-exclusive national licences will be available, subject to revocation on a standard 5 year notice period. Each licence may contain an unlimited number of assignments.
Fees	Licence fee – free of charge. Each link assignment - £50 per link registered per year or part year (where applicable).
Licensing Process	Light licensed and e-enabled link registration process. To open the band at the earliest possible time, an interim procedure will be implemented while Ofcom’s online facility (currently under development) is completed. Links will be registered on a publicly accessible register with first in time priority.
Coordination between links	Links will be self co-ordinated i.e. coordinating between links will be the responsibility of the licence holder.
Trading	All forms of transfer will be permitted.
Frequency Block Clearance	The Spectrum Bands have been block cleared to permit fast track frequency clearance (see OfW 197) i.e. link assignments will not be required to undergo the full three week National Frequency Assignment Panel (NFAP) process and be considered at NFAP meetings.
Site Clearance	Links breaching thresholds given in OfW 191 will require site clearance. Licensees will be required to declare that site clearance thresholds are met/ links have been site cleared before a registration can be made.
Equipment and Antennas	Must conform to essential requirements of the RTTE Directive and UK Interface Requirement 2000.
Maximum EIRP	Maximum Radio Regulations limit, 55dBW.
Max Transmit Power delivered to the antenna	0 dBW
Other Users of the Band	Ofcom will permit the operation of the Amateur and Amateur Satellite allocations on a primary basis within the upper guard band of the 71-76 GHz block i.e. 75.875-76 GHz band. Amateur and Amateur Satellite use between 75.5 – 75.875 GHz will be permitted on a secondary basis.
Review of the interference approach	It is intended that a review of the interference approach is undertaken when sufficient experience has been gained to assess if any refinements to the approach are necessary

The full document is available below

• Making Spectrum Available in the 71-76GHz & 81-86GHz Bands [pdf]
  Full Print Version

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