High Power RFID Trials in Australia Gabriel Phillips, GS1 Australia

1. High Power RFID Trials in AustraliaGabriel Phillips, GS1 Australia

2. Member of GS1 International and one of 105 Member Organisations globally Administer & support the adoption of GS1 standards in Australia Current membership approximately 15,000 companies across 19 industries GS1 Australia Supply Chain Knowledge Centre at Mt Waverley

3. Global standards for automatic identification Rapid and accurate item, asset or location identification Global standards for electronic business messaging Rapid, efficient & accurate business data exchange The environment for global data synchronisation Standardised, reliable data for effective business transactions Global standards for RFID-based identification More accurate, immediate and cost effective visibility of information GS1 • Purpose:- Improving the efficiency and visibility of supply and demand chains, globally and across sectors.

4. What is RFID? • Three Types of RFID • Active • Semi-Active • Passive • Only looking at Passive RFID • The reader acts as a transmitter • The tag is powered by this energy, responds at approx 1/1000th power • Selectively ‘reflects’ its ID number • Same as a barcode, except using RF instead of laser Tag (receiver and re-transmitter combined) Reader (transmitter and receiver combined)

5. Current Licensing arrangements • Radiocommunications (Low Interference Potential Devices) Class Licence 2000

6. Global Allocations of UHF RFID • Need to consider performance North America 4 Europe (proposed) Australia Japan (RFID only) Power (W) Europe (current) 860 870 880 890 900 910 920 930 940 Freq (MHz)

7. 5.5 metres 4 Watts RFID reader RFID reader 1 Watt 5 metres 2 metres Why is 4 Watts essential?

8. RLAN’s Cordless phones Radiolocation Used by DoD Land Mobile Services Sound outside broadcast CDMA Services GSM Services The 900 MHz Band RFID Is Here

9. Class licence ensures services do not interfere Increasing to 4 Watts increases interference probabilities 918 MHz interference level 915 MHz The problem with increasing to 4 Watts 4 Watt RFID output 1 Watt RFID output

10. The Way Forward • First step was contacting the ACMA • What is the business case for the new service • Why is the new service required • Impact on business if not implemented • Capability to conform to regulations • What is the spectrum implications • Adjacent channel interference • Co-channel interference

11. Completed Initial Analysis • Obtained complete characteristics of intended 4 Watt Devices • Several devices • Overall performance • Identified Vodafone as the main service that may be affected • Conducted analysis • Deterministic – worst case scenario • Probabilistic – Likely scenarios • Provided report to the ACMA

12. Scientific Licence • Further information was required • ACMA issued GS1 Australia with Scientific licence to run for 1 year • From July 12th 2005 to July 11th 2006 • 4 Watts EIRP • 920 – 926 MHz • No interference/no protection • GS1 to maintain database of all RFID sites • Operator details • Location • Equipment • Goal was to obtain enough data for analysis

13. Sites

14. Further testing • More data was required • Not enough sites • Too few sites too close to GSM base stations • Conducted lab testing with Vodafone • Testing for: • Blocking • Interference • Call quality • Conducting field testing in likely scenarios • RFID operating with several services • Provide reports to ACMA for their analysis.

15. Important Lessons learnt • Obtaining a change to the LIPD class licence • Work with ACMA • Only happen if we have enough data • Need participants to share information • Need industry to follow the rules • Allow time for due process

16. Contact details Gabriel Phillips Standards Development Coordinator EPC Network D. +61 3 9550 3476 E. gphillips@gs1au.org • GS1 Australia • Axxess Corporate Park • Unit 100/45 Gilby Rd • Mt Waverley VIC 3149 • T. +61 3 9558 9559 • F. +61 3 9558 9551 • gs1aust@gs1au.org • W. www.gs1au.org