Radiocommunications Agency (RA) announces new Asset Tracking Mobile Data licensee

Press Notice - 28 February 2000

The Radiocommunications Agency (RA) is to award a Wireless Telegraphy Act licence to QNL (UK) Ltd to provide an asset tracking mobile data network in the UK.

This follows the consultation paper in May 1999: "Spectrum for Asset Tracking Mobile Data Networks". The responses to this paper showed:

• that any licence awarded should be in the 866-868 MHz range, and
• that RA will need to continue to investigate whether other spread spectrum CDMA systems can be accommodated within the same band. If this proves to be feasible, RA will publish a further consultation document on this issue.

Asset tracking is an application which enables businesses to trace the actual location of its assets such as cars or lorries, but could also be used to trace other high value assets, such as IT equipment.

A list of the respondents to the consultation document is attached at Annex A. Copies of the non-confidential responses and a summary of the main points raised in the responses are on the Agency’s web site at:

www.radio.gov.uk/document/rad_spec/asset/res_sum.htm

Notes for Editors

1. Mobile data services are currently provided in the UK by four licensed operators: Cognito Ltd, Ram Mobile Data Ltd, Vodafone Value Added and Data Services Ltd (formerly Paknet) and Securicor Information Systems Ltd, who provide various data services, and one licensee: Trakker Network (UK) Ltd, which provides an Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system. The four data networks each cover approximately 90% of the UK, with approximately 200 base stations in each network.

2. Asset tracking using spread spectrum techniques may result in lower costs to the consumer and thereby significantly expand the market. Spread spectrum systems can also share spectrum with existing services. As well as providing efficient, low cost solutions for both private vehicle and fleet operations, these systems also lend themselves to such applications as home security, telemetry/telecommand, and tracking industrial plant and equipment.

3. The consultation document "Spectrum for Asset Tracking Mobile Data Networks" (www.radio.gov.uk/document/rad_spec/asset/asset.htm) sought views on allocating radio spectrum in the 863-870 range to allow the asset tracking market to expand. This market, which currently allows private vehicle and fleet car companies to keep track of their vehicles, has seen increased interest from industry who would like to provide new services using spread spectrum techniques.

 ANNEX A 

1. Federation of the Electronics Industry (FEI);
2. NORTEL Networks PLC;
3. BT Networks and Systems * ;
4. BT Mobile Paging;
5. QNL (UK) Ltd * ;
6. Mr David Britland (APD) * ;
7. RAM Mobile Data Ltd * ;
8. BT Cellnet;
9. Nokia (UK) Ltd;
10. Low Power Radio Association (LPRA);
11. NEXUS **.

" * " Commercial In Confidence.

" ** " Telephone enquiry.

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