Research Review - Executive Summary

The Radiocommunications Agency’s Engineering and Research Unit has published its research review report. The document outlines the future research activity that will take place over the next five years. This includes recommendations on funding and the implementation of a radio research advisory committee.
The Agency Steering Board identified the need for a fundamental review of the Agency’s research programme. This was later reflected in the Agency’s Corporate Plan, 1997/98 to 2001/02, with the following Terms of Reference and Scope:

Terms of Reference.

Pushing back the boundaries of usable spectrum;
Enhancing the degree of spectrum sharing between services;
Providing data to help encourage industry to develop new services;
Securing a broader understanding and application of technical efficiency and quality criteria for spectrum management.

The Review will consider whether there is a continuing need for existing work in the light of information already available, and the need to assess market dynamics and economic data.

Scope.
The Review will draw upon the following:

A historical analysis of the current position and spend;
Consultation with internal Units;
External consultation (including industry, academia, some government departments…).

The intention is to set the Agency research agenda for the foreseeable future, including R&D aspects of the Spectrum Efficiency Scheme. The main deliverable will be a Report containing a set of Recommendations on how and where the Agency should spend its research funds. The Review will take into account issues such as ‘value for money’, ‘purchaser-provider split’ and effective measures to audit the success of research spend.

The Review

The review, which has now been completed, included a large element of consultation and the methodology and spread of views is well documented in the report. The objective was to aim for consensus as far as possible and all the recommendations in the Report flow from a process of careful consideration of all the expressed views and reflections within the Agency. The Report has the full support of the Chief Executive and the Management Board.

Recommendations

1. "The National Radio Propagation Committee (NRPC) should be replaced by a broader, advisory committee - The Radio Research Advisory Committee (RRAC)". (Section 2.2.2)

2. "The main thrust of the research programme should be to make greater use of existing spectrum." (Section 2.2.3)

3. "The research programme should include funding related to the development of efficient technology in support of making better use of existing spectrum. The RRAC should decide on the detailed scope of this work." (Section 2.2.4)

4. "The Agency should give priority to identifying a method of measuring the cost benefit of radio propagation research with the main objective of establishing the appropriate level for associated funding". (Section 2.2.5)

5. "For 2000/2001, we confirm the need to maintain a Core propagation programme at RAL, at a funding level of £1.8M. This work should be the subject of an agreement between RA and RAL, in which the programme objectives and associated performance measures are clearly identified. Over a 5 year period there should be a move away from a Core programme towards tendered project work." (Section 2.2.5)

6. "Further Propagation research projects to the value of £0.8M should be placed by competitive tender in 2000/2001." (Section 2.2.5)

7. "The RRAC should identify suitable measures of performance for all aspects of the research programme." (Section 2.2.6)

8. "The Scope of the RRAC should include making proposals with respect to both R&D and External Training aspects of the Spectrum Efficiency Scheme." (Section 2.2.7)

9. "The Agency’s Engineering and Research Unit (ERU) should establish formal contacts with OST and other research related areas of DTI in order to ensure that the research programme is fully in line with Departmental policy." (Section 2.2.8)

A number of supporting recommendations are also made these include a number connected to the implementation and role of the RRAC.

Copies of the report are available from the library.

The Agency would welcome comments on the Research Review Report and its recommendations and we particularly invite comments on the composition on the RRAC and these should be addressed to:

Vaughan Asque
Head of Engineering and Research
13Y/17D
Wyndham House
189 Marsh Wall
LONDON E14 7SX

Tel: 0207 211 0043
Fax: 0207 211 0053

Email: vaughan.asque@ra.gsi.gov.uk

All comments should be with us by 2 May 2000 so that we can set up the new mechanisms in the early part of the new Financial Year.

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