A Perspective on the Radiocommunications Agency's Technical Research Needs

1 Introduction

As well as managing the UK's civil radio spectrum, the Radiocommunications Agency (RA) also spends almost £4 million every year on radio-related research.

We commission universities, laboratories (such as the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory) and research organisations to carry out engineering research that will support the implementation of existing and new services.

This research – which looks towards the technological horizon rather than focusing on 'near-market' technologies – supports our spectrum management role by underpinning developments in the use of the spectrum.

The radio spectrum is a scarce resource, and 'keeping the spectrum clean' by minimising unwanted emissions is vital. It is particularly important to understand the interdependency of frequency use in different service bands.

2 The future of spectrum management

RA's overall objective is to be the best spectrum manager in the world, promoting opportunities to access the radio spectrum and thus build a successful competitive economy and enhance the quality of life.

Our UK Spectrum Strategy, published in 2002, is a 'road map' setting out a flexible and forward-looking view of spectrum management over the next few years and the major changes facing us.

In the modern communications environ-ment, traditional service demarcations can hinder rather than help effective regulation. This is true of spectrum management, where converging technologies have led service definitions to become blurred and strained. The challenge is to establish a forward-looking research programme that recognises this and covers a range of communication technology areas.

It is against this background that the new Office of Communications (Ofcom) is being launched in 2003¹.

Once the necessary legislation is in place, Ofcom will carry out RA's spectrum management responsibilities. The White Paper, A New Future for Communications contains important assurances that Ofcom will be required to exercise its spectrum management functions in the interests of all, both inside and outside the communications sector.

Looking ahead with a view to supporting all the research activities relevant to Ofcom, there are common areas of technology with the ITC, Oftel and others in terms of broadcast and telecommunications systems.

In addition, Professor Martin Cave's Independent Review of Radio Spectrum Management has recommended a challenging, market-based agenda for the future of spectrum management. His report notes that "major technological changes are giving the spectrum much greater importance in the prosperity of the British economy".

The importance of good, effective spectrum management is further underlined by recent global market changes and our requirement to meet the Government's social objectives. Technological research can play a key part in delivering this management.

3 Managing RA's technological research

RA carries out a number of engineering functions and technological research to underpin and promote the introduction of new services and the ability of radio-related systems to co-exist.

These activities – propagation, EMC, sharing studies and new radio-related technologies – are managed by our Engineering and Research Unit (ERU), which has a Radio Technology Compatibility Group (RTCG) providing measurement, technical support and development activities for compatibility and interference issues.

The UK Spectrum Strategy is RA's top-level strategic vision, and other policy strategies – such as our technology-oriented research strategy on radio-related topics, developed with advice from the Radio Research Advisory Committee (RRAC) – aim to support this. The RRAC has an independent chairman and provides a national forum to help us formulate the research strategy and obtain advice on research-related issues.

Research projects are approved by RA's Technical Forum (TF), and the ERU manages the overall research programme.

4 Technical research requirements

RA has a number of technical research requirements, including:

Research in support of regulatory function

• Support the UK Government in its international regulatory commitment through treaties, bilateral meetings and World Radio Conference (WRC) activities. This involves technical sharing studies, harmonisation, coexistence or research into interference and radio spectrum matters. There are also links with research councils such as the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
• Manage the spectrum, keep it clean, carry out enforcement and reduce the effects of interference to a range of radio services and systems. This includes a range of EMC² activities such as promoting awareness, spectrum issues above 1 GHz and issues around digital technologies (such as potential threats from broadband, digital and ISM services).
• Carry out research to help understand the allocation and interdependence of different frequency bands throughout the spectrum. This includes harmonics, out-of-band emissions, characteristics of co-existence and interference within bands.
• Carry out radio propagation research³ and studies of radiocommunications technology, radio interference, mitigation and evaluation of radio device/system characteristics. This includes studying the effects of rainfall and climate on the refractive index; looking at area coverage at higher frequencies with a view to broadband and multi-point services; and carrying out ionospheric studies for radio paths, including those for satellite and navigation services.
• Carry out studies in support of 3G rollout, IMT-2000 and Broadband Wireless Access (BWA).

Technical efficiency

• Promote the intensive use of scarce spectrum while adhering to technical interference limits.
• Promote the development and introduction of new spectrum-saving technologies whose cost is justified by the value of the spectrum saved.

Future work

• RA's proposed Spectrum Efficiency Scheme (training, refarming, research) contains a research element aimed at promoting collaborative, pre-competitive, technology-related research to support and promote efficient radio spectrum use.

There may be other radio research issues relating to the general policy of convergence of technology, delivery of service, quality of service, and provision of information such as for public service, health effects, national coverage issues or security etc.

¹ Ofcom will merge the functions of five existing regulatory bodies: the Independent Television Commission (ITC), Oftel, the Broadcasting Standards Commission, the Radio Authority and RA. These bodies have pledged to work together to manage their transition into a single, world-class regulator for the UK's flourishing broadcasting and telecommunications industries.

³ Radiowave propagation work supports a range of spectrum management tasks, and provides data on propagation paths for a wide range of frequencies and over varying timescales. This is important for assignment tools, factors relating to quality of service, potential outages, and the development of international ITU-R Recommendations on propagation for co-ordination purposes.

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