Technical Frameworks for Specrum Licensing in Australia

1. Technical Frameworks for Specrum Licensing in Australia Mark Arkell Senior Engineer Spectrum Planning Branch Inputs to Industry Division

2. Technical Frameworks for Spectrum Licensing • Background • Technical Planning Process • Technical Rules • Existing (Incumbent ) Services • Further information

3. Radiocommunications Licensing Class Licences 3 Types Spectrum Apparatus Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

4. Spectrum Licensing Policy Objectives • Allow market to determine best use of band • Encourage spectrum efficiency, to address increasing demand for spectrum • Improve services available to public, by encouraging competition • Encourage new technologies • Encourage trading in the secondary market Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

5. Spectrum Licences Technical Considerations • technology-neutral access to “spectrum space” • optimised for most likely service usage • packaging - technology and competition considerations • defines the product to be sold • manage interference across frequency and geographic boundaries Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

6. Spectrum Auctions • Spectrum Licence auctions have been held for the following bands: • 500 MHz (Land Mobile) - 800 MHz (PCS) • 1800 MHz (PCS) - 2 GHz (3G Mobile) • 3.4 GHz (FWA) - 27 GHz (FWA) • 28 GHz (LMDS) Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

7. Spectrum Space defined by geographical space and frequency Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

8. Example: Spectrum Space 2 GHz Band Auction - Areas Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

9. Example: Spectrum SpaceFrequency Lots 2 GHz Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

10. Technical Planning Process • Governed by the Radiocommunications Act 1992 • ACMA Engineers design the ‘Technical Framework’, ie. the technical rules for the Spectrum Licences. • Industry consultation • Technical Liaison Group is set up to consult with industry on their requirements Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

11. Technical Liaison Group • Usually chaired by ACMA - may include vendors, carriers and incumbents representatives • Tasked to develop a technical framework • Technical framework can be optimised for a chosen service (eg. CDMA cellular mobile), if necessary Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

12. Technical Framework • Has the following elements, for interference management: 1. Out-of-area emission limits 2. Out-of-band emission limits 3. Area boundary management arrangements 4. Guidelines for further managing interference to and from other services Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

13. 1. Out-of-area Emissions • A Core Condition (in Licence) • Power limit throughout the area • to limit emissions over the area boundary • Radiated Power (EIRP) limits used • more flexibility for operator • balance between Tx power and antenna • eg. 2 GHz FDD Band limit is 55 dBm/30 kHz EIRP (200 kHz ch = 2kW EIRP) Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

14. 2. Out-of-band emissions • A Core Condition (in Licence) • Radiated power (EIRP) limits used again • Different limits at edges to help protect: • frequency adjacent licences • adjacent band services (eg cordless, FS) • Levels may be varied through agreement with affected adjacent licensees. Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

15. 2 GHz Spectrum Chart(Band Edges) Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

16. Example Out-of-band mask: 2 GHz Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

17. 3. Area Boundary Management • Out-of-area limits are sometimes not enough (usually for lower frequency bands) • Additional procedures developed to manage interference: • Device boundaries • Deployment constraints Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

18. Device Boundaries • Define a potential interference zone around a transmitter • Defined by acceptable levels of interference • MUST be contained within licensed area Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

19. Device Boundaries Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

20. Device Boundaries Calculated using: • transmitter EIRP and antenna height • propagation model (usually developed from industry standard models) • a specified ‘acceptable’ interference level at the notional Receiver at the boundary Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

21. Deployment Constraints • Encourages users to maintain a site sense. (ie, Base Tx in the higher band) useful for high-to-low services (eg. 3G cellular mobile) • Lower band has a lower EIRP limit (radiated max. power for mobiles) • Lower band also has a 20m limit on effective antenna height for fixed transmitters • Possibility of other types of services is accommodated Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

22. 4. Advisory Guidelines • Mainly manages interference with non-spectrum licensed services, • but includes a “notional receiver” for SL • Most important when there is a geographic boundary between SL and AL areas Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

23. 4. Advisory Guidelines (con’t) • eg. Non Spectrum Licensed services around the 2 GHz band include: • FS microwave links (2.1 GHz Band) • Mobile-satellite services • Cordless systems (eg. DECT, PHS) • Earth stations for Space services (deep space, space operations) Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

24. Spectrum Licensing Technical Rules: • Core Conditions • Other Conditions of Licence • Agreements • Determination of ‘Unacceptable Interference’ • Registration of Transmitters • Advisory Guidelines Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

25. Core Conditions • Found on Licence • core conditions specify for each licence: • authorised frequency bands; • authorised areas; • out-of-band emission limits; and • out-of-area emission limits Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

26. Other Conditions of Licence • Interference Management Agreements • Device Registration requirement • Third Party Usage Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

27. Agreements • To exceed the out-of-area core condition • To exceed the out-of-band core condition • To exceed the device boundary requirements Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

28. Determination of ‘Unacceptable Interference’ • Formal Legal Determination to define what is ‘Unacceptable Interference’ • Refers to Core Conditions • Contains Device Boundary criteria and Deployment constraints • Refers to Advisory Guidelines for interference management with other services Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

29. Registration of Transmitters • Requirement under the Legal Determination • Transmitters must be registered before use • Full details provided for the ACA database • Some exempted from registration (eg. Mobile handsets) • Certificate issued by an accredited person that devices won’t cause unacceptable interference Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

30. Existing (Incumbent) Services • Many bands have incumbent services • eg. 684 incumbent fixed links in 2 GHz band affected by declaration of the spectrum • Incumbents are usually protected for some defined period • eg. From Oct 2000 until Oct 2002 for 2 GHz Band • Incumbents can only remain beyond this time with new licensee’s consent Background->Technical Planning Process->Technical Rules->Existing Services

31. Further Information All documents (including information about Spectrum licensing, Auction results, Technical discussion papers) are available on the ACMA web site: www.acma.gov.au