Licensing Arrangements for 5 Ghz Radio Local Area Network (RLAN) Equipment and Similar Services

Introduction

Changes are being made to three frequency bands in the 5 GHz range to open them up for the operation of RLAN equipment and associated similar applications. This document gives an outline of the new licensing regime and some interim arrangements to encourage the development of suitable equipment.

The bands in question are 5150-5350 MHz (Band A), 5470-5725 MHz (Band B) and 5725-5875 MHz (Band C).

Following an extensive public consultation process RA will take the following steps to open 5 GHz spectrum for radio LANs and similar applications.

Interface Requirement IR 2006 will be published shortly. It will contain the following conditions:

Equipment complying with the above requirements will be permitted to operate on a licence-exempt basis in bands A and B.

For Band C further sharing studies must be completed before the arrangements are finalised. At the completion of this process RA will announce the conditions and arrangements for use of this band and IR 2006 will then be revised accordingly.

Statutory Instrument

RA is in the process of preparing the necessary Ministerial submission and the Statutory Instrument (SI) that will permit licence exemption to be applied to these frequency bands. The SI must pass into legislation before the bands may be used. It is hoped to complete this process by autumn 2002.

Deregulation

When IR 2006 has been published and the SI in preparation passes into legislation, Bands A and B will be available for licence-exempt use to operators of conforming equipment. It is intended that this will take place in autumn 2002.

Interim Solution

RA is aware that there are some technical difficulties at present in obtaining equipment that will operate Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS), as mandated by ERC Decision (99)23, and that the specification for this facility has not yet been completed. Therefore in the interim period before DFS has been fully developed it has been decided that short-term permission will be given to use Band A for suitable equipment without DFS. The interim arrangement will be implemented when the new SI has passed into legislation and will be as follows. This interim arrangement will be included in IR 2006, which will be reviewed after a suitable period (possibly 12 – 18 months).

Temporary Use Licence

Until these arrangements are completed it is permitted to use the spectrum on a temporary basis for the evaluation of equipment only under a Temporary Use Licence (cost £50 per month or £300 for six months). No other use will be permitted until the new SI has been completed. Issue of these temporary use licences by RA in no way constitutes approval for equipment on a UK basis. If the equipment used under this temporary use licence does not conform to the final version of IR 2006 it cannot be used on a licence-exempt basis to provide commercial services or for a permanent installation.