Issue 14 - Spring 2001

Contents In this issue:
	PMR into the Future
	UHF Band re-alignment
	New radio channel access procedure
	Mobile Assignment Technical System (MASTS)
	All aboard
	Revised Suppliers' Licence
	The Private Business Radio Manual 2001
	Goodbye David and hello Steven
	Enforcement statistics

PMR into the Future


Barry Maxwell opens PMR into the Future

Massive changes are affecting the world of mobile communications. Realising this, the Radiocommunications Agency (RA) and the Federation of Communication Services (FCS) decided last year to join forces to look at the future of Private Mobile Radio (PMR).

The PMR community is diverse, made up of government regulators, equipment manufacturers and suppliers, and end-users, all of whom have different concerns.

So that the various opinions within the PMR community could be heard and a fully representative strategy reached, the RA and FCS arranged a seminar to discuss the future of PMR. A special edition of PBR News carried an invitation, and the FCS contacted its members, leading to the first "PMR into the Future" event, held on 5th December 2000.

Chairing the seminar was Barry Maxwell, Director of the RA Customer Services Executive, who began by confirming the commitment of the RA both to regulate spectrum and facilitate its efficient use. In order to achieve this "it is vital," he said, "that the different sectors of industry consult one another and the RA in order to establish how best to meet the needs of everyone". This view was reinforced by Jacqui Brookes of the FCS who underlined the importance of the role of the FCS in listening to all its members and then liaising with RA on the way forward.

The initial presentations looked at PMR today, how it has been affected by changes in technology and whether it would survive in the face of competition. Sir Angus Tait, the chairman of Tait Mobile Radio NZ, described the problems the PMR industry face through increased competition, and argued that some loss of users was inevitable as new technologies arrived on the market.

Both Sir Angus and Andy Beever of Motorola argued that the industry would continue to develop as long as there is a clear understanding of its niche and a realisation that a sizeable contribution to the understanding of this niche comes from the users themselves. This view was reflected by the end users of PMR in presentations given by representatives from BA Speedwing, London Coach Transport and the Utilities Sector who all emphasised the importance to the future of PMR in listening to the customer's needs, as these needs are constantly changing.

In preparation for this seminar, the FCS and RA carried out research in autumn 2000, looking at the economic impact of PMR, compiling a PMR band analysis and conducting a survey of industry and end-users. Paul Jarvis, head of the RA Private Business Systems Unit, and Jacqui Brookes, of the FCS, presented the findings of these surveys.

The industry survey showed that the relationship between the RA and industry had improved and that they were happy with a consistent interpretation of policy. However, they also felt that the RA was sometimes a little rigid both in terms of licence conditions imposed in response to technological developments and market demands. There was a worry that PMR was in decline and, because it is a small area of the communications industry, its views were sometimes overlooked.

The survey of end-users confirmed some of industry's fears, in that around 30% of end-users had considered other services but this was balanced by 30% also looking at upgrading within the next three to five years. 94% said that PMR was vital or beneficial for their business. They also commented that PMR gives peace of mind for people working alone, compared with what they saw as unreliable mobile phone coverage. The economic study of PMR, carried out by RA on the basis of 150 responses to 700 invitations, showed that the consumer surplus from PMR licensees was just under £1bn and the revenue generated from PMR licences was £8.845m.

After lunch the seminar split into working groups containing either end-users or members of industry, with RA staff present in both types of group. The objectives of the working groups were to identify:

• the strengths and weaknesses of PMR;
• the communications services required by users in the future;
• current developments that will impact on future usage of the spectrum; and
• the data needed to plan future spectrum use for the future needs of industry.

The Focus Workshop

Due to time restrictions and the size of the task, the groups were each asked to specify the three most important points raised in the day's discussions, to be discussed in future "PMR into the Future" meetings.

It was agreed that the day had resulted in the creation of a feeling of community and a common desire to work together to achieve success. In order to look at the issues raised in more detail, it was decided to hold a future focus group meeting, to be held on 6 February 2001.

The aim of the future focus group was to take forward the issues raised in the first "PMR into the Future" meeting, described above. These were:

• the use of spectrum in the future;
• end-user requirements; and
• implications for the industry.

• What is the current position of PMR within the communications industry as a whole?
• How will PMR develop to meet future needs?
• How can stakeholders drive this forward?
• How will the RA manage these spectrum needs?

• Customer control
• Access to service unavailable to public service
• Self-provided rather than "private"
• Unique and useful
• Established
• Not a telephone
• Inherently reliable under "catastrophe" conditions
• Innovative
• Instantaneous contact/immediate access
• Indispensable for some businesses
• Good for isolated rural areas
• All-informed
• Success of PMR 446 as customer toy/tool
• Licensed - spectrum managed
• Customised to customer needs
• Low running costs
• Convergence (see also under barriers)
• Can co-exist with other communications systems (PMR market not lost with growth of cellphone market)

• Perception of radio as "hobbyist" (people with flux under their fingernails)
• "Unsexy" presentation (boxes, profile)
• Need licence - bureaucracy
• Convergence
• Low profile with public, lack of understanding of unique nature
• Threat from other communications industries
• Not marketed proactively
• Invisibility (e.g. among taxi users)
• Need greater voice to communicate concerns to Government
• Market not large enough for technology to develop

• Digitalisation
• End-user expectations
• Competition from cellular phone companies
• Virtual private networks from cellular operators

This was by no means a comprehensive list, and was arrived at only after much debate, during which the different points of view of each of the parties emerged; the responsibilities of Government; the needs of customers; the role of trade organisations; and the role of manufacturers in the development of the market. The group had considerable difficulty in pinpointing who leads the market and therefore leads the future - do manufacturers develop the technology, making the best use of the spectrum available to them, and then tell their customers what they need, or do they base their research on what their customers want? Either way, does the market need to expand to ensure that PMR doesn't disappear altogether? And who will be the end-users of the future?

The Focus Workshop

It was agreed that individual citizens were not a prime target for PMR since the mobile phone market would meet the communication needs of most people on the street. There was a general consensus that PMR was not in competition with the mobile phone market, but that interested parties should concentrate on its unique qualities - privacy, control, customisability, reliability, immediacy, etc. - to create their own market.

Who then is the customer of the future? Current end-users are, it was felt, unlikely to move away unless the spectrum fails to adapt to meet their demands. What about future users? What should the marketing strategy be to entice new customers in? Do they, for example, need to know about spectrum strategy or even to understand the technology? Generally the answer to this question was no - managing the spectrum is of prime importance to the industry, but is unimportant to most end-users.

However, what is important to customers is the inevitable spectrum realignment - customers will need new equipment and one way of sweetening that particular pill would be to develop new technology that emphasised customer control and the flexibility of PMR. Digitalisation is a certainty, and it is acknowledged that current systems are partly obsolete. This provoked a discussion about the part that manufacturers and dealers should play in retaining current customers and winning new ones.

After looking at where PMR was at present and looking at the factors that may influence its future the different interests within the group put forward what they desired in the future. The manufacturers saw the future of PMR as a scalable technology, using the same baseboard for all system sizes but having the option for additional facilities. The end-users and consultants both emphasised the importance of customer control, high street availability and the ability to buy and licence a system simply and easily. In this respect the interested parties were all agreed in that in order to face the future PMR systems need to have customisability, they need to adapt to what the customer wants, and the only way that this can be achieved is through listening to end user requirements.

At the end of the meeting it was discussed how the whole industry could prepare for changes in the future and how it could improve. It was decided to set up a marketing forum to make communication between end-users and manufacturers easier and the manufacturers agreed to look at developing equipment for spectrum where use is not high at present. The RA would continue to bring e-licensing on line in order to simplify the licensing process, would continue to pursue band realignment with the continent and push through Band III harmonisation.

Due to the diverse interests present on the day it was sometimes hard to reach consensus on the many issues raised, making it difficult to make an imaginative leap forward. However, the discussions were creative, sometimes positive, and there is a concrete action plan to implement which will address a lot of the concerns raised during the meetings.

UHF Band realignment

For many years radio users in the frequency band 450-470MHz, particularly those towards the south and east coasts of England, have suffered interference from mainland Europe.

To help overcome these and other problems, the Radiocommunications Agency is co-ordinating a project to realign the 450-470MHz band. The aim of the project is to achieve the following three goals:

• to substantially reduce interference from the continent;
• to harmonise the 450-470MHz band with Europe; and
• to accommodate growth and the introduction of new technologies.

By now all affected customers will have received notification of this project to allow them to consider their equipment requirements and their future use of radio technology. This is because the realignment of frequencies will require the majority of customers to adjust or replace their existing equipment.

An audit of all users in this band will be carried out this year to help the RA develop the new re-aligned channel plan for the affected band. It is anticipated that this plan will be fully accessible to the public by the end of 2001.

The process of realignment will begin in January 2005 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is scheduled to take place in a rolling programme lasting several years. The realignment in Scotland will not begin until 2007.

All customers will receive notification of their new frequency or frequencies and six months notice of the date upon which this change must be implemented. Customers will be responsible for arranging the replacement or re-tuning of their own equipment. The customer's current service provider will be able to provide the expertise necessary for this task.

Further information about the realignment project is available
on the RA website at: www.radio.gov.uk

New radio channel access procedure

The RA has announced plans to introduce a new data-only channel access method known as Interface Requirement 2008 (IR 2008).

This new method is based on the MPT 1379 Channel Access Procedure, which has been in abeyance awaiting amendment for two years. During that period, a Technical Working Group has been re-writing MPT 1379, in response to industry demand.

The resultant IR 2008 channel access method licences time slots (see diagram below), which means that although a frequency band is shared between different users, each user has exclusive use of the channel in a specific 250millisecond time period.

Customers may choose to name either a single time slot or multiple slots (see diagram).

The 13 channels that will be made available have been designated as "data-only", and compliance with the IR 2008 will be a licence condition for their use. For further information on IR 2008 check the RA website www.radio.gov.uk or contact Mark Redman on 020 7211 0246.

Mobile Assignment Technical System (MASTS)

The current method of channel assignment and coverage prediction for PMR licensing is overdue for upgrading as it is unsophisticated and based on a flat-earth model. RA recognises this need, and has initiated the MASTS project, scheduled to last three years, with the aim of developing a more accurate and responsive technical assignment tool.

The primary functions of MASTS will be as follows:

• to assign channels more effectively and efficiently;
• to be responsive to increasing demand for PMR spectrum;
• to provide spectrum quality controls;
• to utilise consistent and up-to-date information on PMR spectrum usage for subsequent management and operational exploitation;
• to improve the technical accuracy of frequency assignment, thereby enabling more PMR assignments in a given area/band; and
• to provide an enhanced customer service (including the possibility of providing printed evidence to justify why a channel was or was not assigned).

MASTS will use coverage prediction and monitoring data in the assignment process. The current method, being two-dimensional, does not allow for terrain or give a feel for how good or bad the coverage will be from a particular site. Currently, an assignment officer uses his experience to assess the viability of a new site, once the initial calculation has been performed. MASTS will determine and assign the most suitable radio channel, based on the initial licensing data held by RULES (e.g. site location, transmitter power and business class).

Increased efficiency in the assignment of PMR frequencies will facilitate access to suitable frequencies for new PMR applications enabled by new technology. The implementation of MASTS will provide an opportunity to accommodate new narrow-band technology, and it will help to ensure that spectrum use is optimised, by making currently under-used channels available for new, more spectrum-efficient, technology.

MASTS will enable more advanced methods of spectrum pricing to be implemented based on predicted coverage areas. With its improved method of assignments it is envisaged that MASTS will be used in the band realignment project. The new tool will also form part of the public access system scheduled for 2004, which will enable the public to complete on-line applications through the Internet.

All aboard

The RA strives to ensure an ever improved understanding of the business requirements of its customers and an opportunity to do just this came with a recent invitation to visit Eurotunnel.

Jason Simons from Private Business Systems Unit explains, "We had been invited to actually access the tunnels - there being three, two running tunnels and the service tunnel - but access could only be safely gained during the quieter periods of operation. Our visit was arranged for Sunday morning at 01.00am!

Late on the Saturday evening, we travelled over to Coquelles via the Shuttle, courtesy of Eurotunnel, and having passed through stringent security checks drove into the service tunnel where we were able to see both primary and back up radio communication systems. Having also examined the Sangatte Shaft, where huge ducts pump air into the tunnels, we entered the northerly running tunnel, at the French crossover, which had been partially closed to allow for maintenance work. The crossover is an enormous cavern hollowed out of the chalk marl, some six miles out and 250-300 feet below the surface of the English Channel. It permits trains to change tracks in the event of an emergency or maintenance work.

As a feat of engineering, the tunnels are remarkable. From a communications point of view, nothing is left to chance in this safety-critical environment. Overall, the visit was both informative and enjoyable, giving RA staff a good appreciation of the unique nature and requirements of this customer".

Revised Suppliers' Licence

The terms and conditions of the PBR Suppliers' Licence have been varied with effect from 1 January 2001. This new Suppliers' Licence breaks the link between the Radio Quality Assurance Scheme (RQAS) and the availability of Short Term Hire (STH) frequencies.

Trunking has been introduced to the licence through the addition of six UHF2 duplex frequencies, with equipment conforming to MPT 1327 or at least as efficient (if placed on the UK market before 8 April
2000) or meeting IR 2001/2002.
When using these trunking frequencies at large events, where there is extensive use of radio at a single location, licensees will be required to notify the RA regional office responsible to enable the co-ordination of frequencies and
callsigns. This system can be used for voice and data communications.

The Suppliers' Licence will also allow the service and repair of maritime equipment under the following condition:

"Any transmission on maritime international channels must be made by a holder, or under the personal supervision of a holder, of the appropriate maritime radio operators certificate and where transmissions take place on board marine vessels, such vessels shall be moored or out of the water and not in transit."

In the long term, this facility will be included in a sector specific maritime licence and consequently removed from the Suppliers' Licence. It is hoped to have this sector specific licence in place no later than the end of 2002.

A letter notifying suppliers' licensees of all the changes was sent out in late November 2000.

The Private Business Radio Manual 2001

Legislation, such as the Codes of Practice on Access to Government Information and more recently the Human Rights Directive requires Government departments to make certain types of information available to the public. Broadly speaking, government departments should make their policy and procedural guidelines available to the public whilst keeping commercially sensitive, or private information relating to individuals, confidential.

The PBS Policy and Procedures Manual 2001 meets these requirements by detailing the policy and procedures used for Private Business Systems Licensing in the RA when dealing with applications for the use of Private Business Radio (PBR).

The updated manual is available for inspection, by appointment, by the public or available on the RA's website www.radio.gov.uk The electronic version has links to information sheets, application forms and various RA documents released in the manual and links within and between chapters enabling easier navigation within the document.

Having these links in place ensures a greater scope of information for those that require it without the necessity of navigating around the whole site in order to find it. To book an appointment for inspection of the manual call the DTI library on 020 7215 5006/5007 or any local office, or HQ. For any other queries relating to this manual please call our enquiry point.

The PBS Policy and Procedures manual made available to the public is the manual used by Licensing and Assignment Officers in the RA.

Goodbye David and hello Steven

David Cowie is moving on to pastures new on promotion to lead the RA's Electronic Licensing Project. During his time in PBS David was responsible for managing the devolution project delivering the local licensing II categories to the RA's local offices and lately was responsible for managing the introduction of the new RULES licensing system.

David Cowie and Steve Gleeson

Steven Gleeson from the RA's Kenley office has joined the Local Licensing Co-ordination Unit as David's replacement. Steven will be responsible for a number of areas including the production of PBR News, as well as being a crucial focal point in the delivery of licence products to the RA's local offices. Steven said "I look forward to taking on this role at a time of great developments as PBR enters the digital age. Having worked for eight years in a regional office, I am confident that I have a good understanding of our customers needs and will therefore be able to meet the challenges ahead".

Enforcement statistics

New Installations	Existing Installations	Key to Licensing Centres:
		1 = NE England 2 = Scotland 3 = Northern Ireland 4 = NW England 5 = Wales 6 = SW England 7 = Midlands & East Anglia 8 = London & SE

The above charts illustrate the statistics for the first quarter covering January to March 2001.

During this quarter there was only one prosecution resulting in a £300 fine and costs.

Information sheet RA 206 provides details of our local offices and the areas each office covers.
Copies are available from our Library on tel: 020 7211 0505 / 0502, by e-mail: library@ra.gsi.gov.uk or from the RA's website: www.radio.gov.uk

Private Business Radio News
Radiocommunications Agency
11G/10F Wyndham House, 189 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SX
Editors: Nick Hodgson and Linda Ramsey. Production: Linda Ramsey
Telephone: 020 7211 0187 Fax: 020 7211 0118 e-mail:pbrnews@ra.gsi.gov.uk