Removal of the Link Between the Radio Quality Assurance Scheme and Access to PBR Short Term Hire Spectrum

DTI  press release -9 July 1999

The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Small Firms, Trade and Industry, Michael Wills MP, has announced that the link between accreditation in the Radio Quality Assurance Scheme (RQAS) and access to certain PBR Short Term Hire frequencies, will end on 1 January 2001.

The decision follows a consultation exercise held by the Radiocommunications Agency with PBR Suppliers licensees in December 1998. This sought the views of licensees on the findings of an initial review, which indicated that there was no longer any direct benefit arising from the RQAS link with PBR Short Term Hire and that the PBR Short Term Hire Industry was now operating within the boundaries of licence conditions, with very few instances of misuse.

The Minister is aware of the need to address some of the concerns of licensees about the future conduct of the PBR Short Term Hire industry. The Radiocommunications Agency will therefore consult with PBR Suppliers licensees on the possible creation of two replacement licence products to meet the needs of industry following the removal of the link between the RQAS and PBR Short Term Hire.

Notes for editors

Radio Quality Assurance Scheme (RQAS)

The RQAS is a quality assurance scheme based upon the quality standard BS EN ISO 9000. It was introduced in 1988 to encourage quality and consistency within the PBR Short Term Hire industry and to combat the misuse of PBR Short Term Hire frequencies. PBR Suppliers licensees accredited to the RQAS are entitled to use additional frequencies for PBR Short Term Hire purposes, which are not available to other licensees.

Initial Review

The Radiocommunications Agency held an initial review into the link between the RQAS and access to the additional Schedule B frequencies, in 1998. The findings of the review indicated that there was no longer any direct benefit arising from the RQAS link with PBR Short Term Hire to the Agency, and that the PBR Short Term Hire industry was now operating within the boundaries of licence conditions with very few instances of misuse.

Consultation with licensees

In December 1998 the Agency sought the views of PBR Suppliers licensees on the findings of the initial review. The Agency also announced that it would remove the need for licensees to notify the Agency’s Local Licensing Centres when hiring PBR Short Term Hire equipment except at large events.

Responses to the consultation

• Some 12% of licensees responded to the consultation.
• Of these licensees there was almost unanimous approval for the removal of notification of PBR Short Term Hire use except at large event.

Many licensees:

• agreed with the initial review and indicated that the link with the RQAS should be removed;
• believed that the cost and resource implications of quality accreditation weighed unfairly against smaller businesses;
• thought that the gaining of quality accreditation and its link with the allocation of radio spectrum acted in a discriminatory manner against non RQAS accredited organisations;
• saw no automatic link between the attainment of quality accreditation and final quality of service; and
• believed that current frequency sharing arrangements predicated on RQAS accreditation did not ensure maximum spectrum efficiency.

A smaller number of licensees:

• continued in their firm belief that the attainment of BS EN ISO 9000 had positive benefits for their organisations and the PBR Short Term Hire industry in general;
• that the costs of the necessary accreditation were falling and no longer constituted a barrier for organisations; and
• believed that the removal of the quality link would lead to a re-emergence of problems within the industry.

Further consultation

Following the decision to end the link between the RQAS and PBR Short Term Hire the Agency is to seek the views of PBR Suppliers licensees on the possible creation of two replacement licence products to meet the needs of industry.

Product A would contain a wider range of frequencies than that currently enjoyed by PBR Suppliers licensees not accredited to the RQAS, and would be intended for general use.

Product B would be formed from some of the new total number of frequencies available (using the least number of channels necessary to permit the use of efficient technology). This would enable spectrum to be dedicated to the application and development of technically efficient technologies within the PBR Short Term Hire environment. Product B would be intended for use by organisations able to offer spectrum efficient solutions for events where radio use is required on a large scale.

The proposals move away from allowing access to spectrum based upon whether or not organisations have obtained the required quality accreditation to allowing organisations to have access to spectrum according to their business needs.

Licensees will be invited to state whether they:

• believe that the PBR Short Term Hire regime (following the removal of the link between the RQAS and PBR Short term Hire) would be assisted with the introduction of the two new licence products;
• agree with the characteristics of the two new licence products proposed; and
• might wish to take advantage of Product B and if so the technology or technologies they would wish to employ and the number of frequencies they believe would be necessary to support the proposed technology.

Further information

For more information or for copies of the consultation document contact:

David Thomas
Private Business Systems Unit
Radiocommunications Agency
11 South/12.1
New King’s Beam House
22 Upper Ground
London SE1 9SA

Tel: 020 7211 0182

Fax: 020 7211 0118

E-mail: thomasd@ra.gnet.gov.uk

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