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Spectrum for Public Two Way Paging (TWP) |
A consultative document from The Radiocommunications Agency on licensing and spectrum for Two-Way Paging in the 867.6 – 868.0 mhZ band and the use of the 169 MHz paging band
1. Introduction
4. Licensing
5. Proposals
7. Responses to the Consultation
Annex 1 Cordless Telephony in the UK and the CEPT
1.1 The Government is committed to deriving maximum economic benefit and technical efficiency from the use of radio spectrum. The Government wants to develop innovation in a paging market that is technology neutral to deliver choice for the benefit of UK consumers. This consultation document seeks views and comments on the Government’s main proposals for licensing and spectrum for TWP in the light of recent developments in the European paging market.
1.2 This consultation is the first stage of a two-stage process. The second stage will, subject to comments received on the consultation exercise, invite applications for licences to operate TWP networks.
2.1 The current UK and European public paging market provides only unidirectional messaging services, i.e. the paging terminal has no return path to acknowledge message reception or send user initiated messages. The lack of a two-way capability has been identified as a serious impediment to the range of services that paging operators need in order to develop to sustain recent impressive growth in demand for paging services, which reached approximately 40% per annum during the past two years. The number of paging customers in the UK is now approaching 2.5 million and projections indicate that this figure could rise to over 7 million users by the end of 2007 with the introduction of new services and facilities to customers. If the projections are realised this will make the United Kingdom one of the strongest and innovative paging markets in Europe.
2.2 Following the November 1997 consultation, UK paging networks have progressively increased alphanumeric messaging which is replacing tone and numeric paging. Projections presented to the RA by the United Kingdom Paging Industry Association (UKPIA), drawn from the uptake in paging using the new technologies, have shown that the spectrum requirement could be as large as an additional 4 MHz if the user base reaches the projected 7 million users by the end of 2007.
2.3 In 1997 the RA commissioned Analysys to produce a report on public mobile communications services. This report considered the future growth in the UK paging industry and translated the forecast in pager subscriber growth rates into a corresponding forecast demand for spectrum that broadly aligned with the industry’s projections. Copies of the paging section of the Analysys report are available from the RA Library (0207-211-0502/0505).
2.4 In November 1997 the Government launched a public consultation inviting comments on the future use of spectrum for public paging. At that time UK operators were experiencing capacity problems due to increased network usage. These capacity problems were inhibiting the delivery of new services to paging users. In February 1998 the Government announced new paging channels and permitted operators to use new high bit-rate technologies to provide new services to users and to address the capacity problems of operators. Aware of the slow uptake of European Radio Messaging (ERMES) paging service, the Government also made clear its intention to review the use of the 169 MHz ERMES paging channels. Views are sought on how effective the provision of new channels has been at addressing the capacity shortage.
2.5 Views and comments heralding a significant repositioning of the traditional Paging market towards the two-way messaging markets were also received. These argued that TWP would enable new network features such as message delivery confirmation and user initiated messaging bringing greater choice to the consumer. Significant improvements in spectrum efficiency and greatly enhanced network capacity were claimed. However, the Government is aware of the recent upturn in the popularity in pre-paid mobile phones and short messaging services (SMS). Views are sought on the effect this may have on the future market penetration projections of paging services in the UK.
2.6 In Europe the Conference of European Posts and Telecommunication Administrations (CEPT)2 had identified spectrum for return path channels for TWP and considered the relationship between (including the current usage) the 169 MHz ‘ERMES’ channels and the TWP channels. This action was intended to stimulate growth in paging services in Europe where restrictions on the paging market act as a barrier to competition. Within the European Union, the European Commission carried out a study3 in support of the initiative to stimulate growth and remove market barriers. Subsequently, Council Directive 90/544/EC recommended that the technology restrictions be removed from the ERMES Directive for Paging. Views are sought on the government’s proposals to make existing and new paging licences technology neutral.
2.7 UK paging industry representative groups such as the United Kingdom Paging Industry Association (UKPIA) and European Paging Association (EPPA) have supported the removal of the technology restrictions in the ERMES band to stimulate further growth in the UK national paging market. Views are invited on the opinion that the ability to introduce innovative new paging technologies in the 169 MHz band is essential to the development of TWP services where the use of a harmonised forward transmission path will provide confidence for manufacturers to produce equipment for a larger European market.
2.8 Most recently the CEPT has rejected spectrum harmonisation measures for narrow band TWP in the bands 867.6 – 868.0 MHz and 444.5 to 447.0 MHz. Whilst the Government does not intend to make the band 444.5 – 447.0 MHz available for TWP,views are sought on whether equipment manufacturers would develop new TWP equipment for a UK market if the Government licenses TWP.
3.1 The band 867.6 to 868.0 MHz is currently allocated to the digital Cordless Technology CT2 in the UK and in some countries in CEPT. The band is also available on a primary basis to Military Tactical Radio Relay links in other coutries in CEPT, though not in the UK. A synopsis of current CT2 usage in given in Annex 1 of this document.
3.2 The technical compatibility study4 produced by the CEPT project teams (electronic copies are available by email on request to (sairah.majeed@ra.gsi.gov.uk) concluded that for a relatively low density of CT2 usage, such as in the UK, sharing would be feasible. The report states that there is a very small interference risk when a pager unit is in the vicinity of a CT2 user terminal and the potential for interference is reduced by the CT2 dynamic channel selection process during call set-up. The study also found that the interference potential to TWP systems is similarly small and can be further mitigated by network planning.
3.3 A related consultation to this document is "The future of analogue and CT2 Cordless Telephony in the United Kingdom" will shortly be available from the RA website or the RA library (see Section 7 for address details).
4.1 At present there are six operators in the UK using channels in the VHF and UHF bands. In addition to these channels there are 16 channels allocated in the 169 MHz band. Four of the existing six operators and one new entrant have a licence to operate, though no commercial services are in operation.
4.2 The Government is aware that there are uncertainties in the paging market and that there is a pressing need for innovation to promote the development of the market. The Government is also aware of the scarcity of spectrum and considers that it would be correct to consider all means to maximise economic benefit from it. Inter alia, allocation of licenses by either competition or auction are to be considered, and the Government invites views on these options.
5.1 The Government would welcome views and comments on this consultation and in particular on the following proposals:
a. that the Government should support the development of TWP by licensing systems for the bands 867.6 – 868.0 MHz (return path) with the existing 169 MHz paging band (169.4-169.8 MHz);
b. that manufacturers would be able to develop and make available TWP equipment for a UK market in the absence of a harmonised approach to spectrum in Europe;
c. that the assumptions on which access to the CT2 band are based are reasonable;
d. that the Government cease mandating ERMES technology in the 169 MHz band and make this band a technology neutral paging band;
e. that existing paging licences be amended to a technology neutral paging licence which incorporates TWP services;
f. that the remaining ERMES channels be made available to existing incumbents or new entrants that meet the relevant criteria (to be defined in the stage 2 process); and
g. that new licences for TWP be awarded either through competition or auction (to be defined in the stage 2 process).
Equipment used for the provision of TWP services in both the 169 MHz and 867.6 to 868.0 MHz bands will be required to conform to criteria defined in the R & TTE Directive.
The Department is keen to receive the views of all interested parties on these proposals and the underlying assumptions on which they are based. Comments should be sent to:
| Brian Last Radiocommunications Agency 11R/3 Wyndham House 189 Marsh Wall London E14 9SX Tel: 020 7211 0234 |
Nick Williams Communications and Industry Department of Trade and Industry, Industries Division, 2.56 (Grey), 151 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1A 9SS Tel: 020 7215 1782 |
It would be helpful if five copies of your comments could be sent to each address and a non-restricted summary of the response attached that can be placed on the RA Web site (www.radio.gov.uk).
Please note that the closing date for comments is the 30th November 1999
At present there are currently over four million cordless phones in the United Kingdom and the number is increasing by around 20 per cent annum. Most are currently used privately either at home or around small offices and use low cost analogue technology referred to as CTO or CT1. The public consultation, run in October 1996, showed an increasing interest in cordless business communications for both voice and data applications, based on the European DECT and CT2 digital standards.
The results of the DTI consultation "The Future of Cordless Telephony in the United Kingdom" published in October 1996 confirmed the demand for new services and demonstrated the need for new radio channels to ease congestion on existing services.
As a result of the DTI consultation it was decided that the RA's formal review of the 900 MHz digital CT2 spectrum would be postponed, to support moves towards the wider availability of low cost digital cordless products. However it was agreed that the precise timing of the review should be kept under consideration to take into account market developments.
These services are exempt from licensing under The Wireless Telegraphy (Exemption) Regulations 1999 SI 1996 No. 930. It is therefore not necessary to hold a licence to establish, install or use this apparatus for private use. Copies of this statutory instrument are available from HMSO. These regulations provide for the exemption from the licensing requirements of sections 1(1) and 3(1)(a) of The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949.
Due to the Licence Exempt nature of the service the Agency has no records from which to draw an estimate of the number CT2 stations currently in use. However information gathered from the technical press regarding the nature and extent of CT2 use within the UK and past meetings with industry representatives indicate approximately 60,000 users after 8 years' availability.
Digital residential cordless products are projected to represent 27% of the total European residential market by 19995. In the business arena the market size is projected to be 62 thousand systems per annum in 1999. Currently DECT accounts for 74% of the business cordless handset market. By 1999 it will account for 84%, leaving CT2 with just 16%. Consideration of these percentages would indicate a total usage in Europe of approximately 1 million CT2 units in use by 1999.
The government therefore considers that the take up of CT2 to be relatively small in both the UK and Europe. Noting that CT2 has 40 channels available using a dynamic frequency allocation (as described previously) it is concluded by the UK and CEPT that TWP can co-exist with CT2.
Responses
to the consultation document "Spectrum for Public Two Way Paging (TWP)"
| 29/10/1999 |
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