Issue 16 - 2001

Contents
	Customers using equipment in the 450-470MHz band
	450-470MHz band alignment update
	PBR Wide Area Distress Alarms
	PMR (Standard) UK General licence
	Commonwealth Games
	Fixed term licences
	ePaging has arrived
	Inspection statistics
	Useful contact numbers
	Why you receive the PBR newsletter

Customers using equipment in the 450-470MHz band

As we have publicised before, the Radiocommunications Agency (RA) intends to embark on a major programme of frequency alignment to CEPT TR/25-08 in the 450-470MHz band. Band alignment will harmonise use where possible within Europe, help promote efficient use of the radio spectrum and provide an opportunity to accommodate many more new users with innovative features such as data and new digital services.

As part of the preparations for the alignment exercise, all private business systems radio users in the 450-470MHz band should have received a questionnaire from the RA. This questionnaire has given our customers the opportunity to let the RA know what the technical and economic benefits and/or potential problems will be for their business. It will give us the information required to help plan the implementation of the alignment programme and, therefore, is a vitally important exercise as it will help us get a clear picture of what radio users want.

Further information about the alignment project is available on the RA website at www.radio.gov.uk or you can e-mail specific questions to band.realignment@ra.gsi.gov.uk

 

450-470MHz Band alignment update

As part of the preparation for the 450MHz-470MHz alignment exercise, the RA will no longer allow new applications for UHF2 Onsite Simplex channels. Alternative channels are available in the 440-450MHz band and these will be assigned in future. The operating range of equipment currently on the market means that radios are available which will be able to operate on the alternative channels. Existing customers on the UHF2 onsite simplex channels will be allowed to continue to operate but will have to move to the alternative frequencies from 2005 onwards. Existing customers may apply to move before 2005 if they so wish.

PBR Wide Area Distress Alarms

Following the introduction of the PBR Wide Area Distress Alarm licence, to replace the Local Authority Emergency Alarm product, in July 2000, the RA209 information sheet and application form is now in the process of being extensively revised. We hope to have the documentation ready by the end of January 2002.

New licence for UK General users

The current UK General licence permits the use of hand portable radio's tuned to a specified frequency anywhere in the UK for periods of use up to one year provided that the RA has been notified 14 days in advance of the intended use. The use of base stations is not permitted. These licences are widely used by commercial organisations such as construction companies and event organisers who wish to operate throughout the UK.

The new licence will give customers access to fifteen frequencies, which they can use as and when they choose. The need to inform the RA of the intended use of the radios has also been removed although in order to minimise the risk of interference the use of base stations will still not be permitted. In addition the restriction limiting the use of the radios on a site to a maximum of one year has also been lifted.

There are approximately 3000 existing UK General customers and for the vast majority of these the change will involve no more than the receipt of the new licence document. However, some existing UK General customers are currently using "non-UK General frequencies" that have been assigned to them. It is proposed that these customers will be given up to five years to migrate across to the new licence or should they wish an alternative product.

The fee for the new licence will be proposed by the RA later this year in its Spectrum Pricing Consultative Document. However, indications are that the proposed fees will be considerably less than those currently applying to the existing UK General licence.

Commonwealth Games Manchester 2002

IMPORTANT NOTICE
to all UK General licensees

The article explained the possible uses of radio at this event and the role the Radiocommunications Agency would have in the successful running of the Games.

The changes to the UK General licence, due to be introduced in mid July 2002, will remove the requirement for licensees to notify the RA of radio use. However, due to the potential extra demand on the spectrum for this major event and the possibility of interference between services, the RA is asking all UK General licensees to notify us, at the address below, of intended use at this event. This will allow the event organisers and the RA to co-ordinate the use of radio and so minimise the potential for interference.

Alan Clayton / Steve Culling
Haydock Regional Office
9 The Parks
Lodge Lane
Newton Le Willows
Merseyside WA12 0JQ

Tel: 01942 528 200
Fax: 01942 528 218

Fixed term licences

In order to allow for greater licence flexibility, Private Business Systems Unit (PBSU) intends to extend a "fixed term licence" facility to all of its licences other than those that are issued for three-year periods. This fixed term licence facility enables PBR licences to be issued for periods of less than one year, subject to a minimum period of one month with the licence fee based on a 1/12th proportion of the annual fee. The minimum licence fee will be £20.

ePaging has arrived

Obviously not everybody has access to or will want to use the Internet, so therefore applications can still be made using the paper forms, RA5 and RA30. But by choosing to complete the electronic version, customers will benefit from the following:

• Quick and direct delivery of the application direct to RA
• Intelligent forms that only display the relevant questions needed to complete the application
• On-screen help that will offer information and guidance on completing each question
• The facility to pay the licence fee by credit or debit card, up to the value of £1000

Paging applications are the first of our Private Business Radio products to be available online. In accordance with the aims of the Modernising Government White Paper, by 2005 all PBR applications should be available online.

Access to the online application forms is via the RA website at www.radio.gov.uk Customers should select E-business, which can be found under the A-Z Index, and then click on the "Licensing and administration" button.

The use of intelligent screens ensures that applicants will only be required to complete relevant questions. The example shown here is an application being made by an individual. The applicant is not being asked for a company registration number as this is not applicable. All mandatory fields are clearly marked in red.

A series of help screens that provide guidance can be accessed by clicking on the question marks alongside each question. Further help can be found by clicking on the "help" button on each screen. This will then display the relevant information sheet for the licence product.

Applications made online have the added benefit of being able to pay for the licence fee by credit card up to the value of £1000. Customers can still choose to submit an application without a payment and will be invoiced for the licence fee prior to the licence being issued.

After the application has been made, a confirmation e-mail will be sent giving a brief summary of the application details. This will also contain the contact details that should be used in the event that the the applicant wishes to contact the RA regarding the application.

Remember, paging applications are just the first of the current PBR products to go online. Between now and 2005 all of the applications currently available for PBR will become available online via the Agency website. The next phase of the Agency's e-licensing project should mean that further products will be available online as early as next year. Although PBR News will publish information about the latest developments as they arise, up to the minute information can be found on the Agency website at www.radio.gov.uk

Inspection statistics

NEW INSTALLATIONS	EXISTING INSTALLATIONS
		Key to Licensing Centres: 1 = Scotland 2 = Northern Ireland 3 = NE England 4 = NW England 5 = Wales 6 = SW England 7 = Midlands & East Anglia 8 = London & SE
Total number of inspections Total number of discrepancies	New Existing 973 234 177 71

Useful contact numbers 

All the information sheets mentioned in this newsletter, including RA206 which provides details of our regional offices, are available from our library by e-mail; library@ra.gsi.gov.uk or alternatively they can be found on the RA website at www.radio.gov.uk

Why you receive the PBR Newsletter

As the radio market expands and diversifies, especially with the introduction of new technology, it sometimes becomes necessary for RA to amend or introduce new policy to reflect the changes. With this continual change comes the need for RA to keep its customers informed. PBR News is one way of achieving this and is distributed to all of the RA's PBR customers to keep them abreast of changes in the PBR sector. The chances are that if you are reading this then you or your organisation holds a PBR licence.

Private Business Radio News
Radiocommunications Agency
11G/10F Wyndham House, 189 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SX
Editors: Steven Gleeson and Linda Ramsey
Any comments about PBR News are always welcome, please e-mail us at "pbrnews@ra.gsi.gov.uk"