FCS RESPONSE TO THE RADIOCOMMUNICATIONS AGENCY 450-470MHz BAND ALIGNMENT CONSULTATION DOCUMENT (DECEMBER 2002)

March 2003

CONTENTS 1. E ECUTI!E SUMMARY 2. INTRODUCTION ". #UANTIFYING THE COSTS AND BENEFITS 4. FEASABILITY OF RE-ALIGNMENT 5. SPECTRUM EFFICIENY $. CONTINENTAL INTERFERENCE 7. ADDITIONAL SPECTRUM %. COST OF E#UIPMENT &. COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT REGULATORY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

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FCS response to the RA 450-470 MHz band align ent cons!ltation March 2003 """#$cs#org#!%

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E ECUTI!E SUMMARY 'he FCS on behal$ o$ its (MR e bership considers it !n"ise $or the Radioco !nications Agenc) *RA+ or ,FC,M to proceed "ith the Stat!tor) Cons!ltation $ollo"ing co pletion and p!blication o$ the Reg!lator) - pact Assess ent. !ntil the $ollo"ing $i/e iss!es are satis$actoril) /eri$ied or resol/ed# Firstl) "ill ,FC,M be able to aintain and ade0!atel) $!nd the "or% o$ the specialist tea o$ radio engineers to s!per/ise the align ent. a%e necessar) changes to the plan "here $o!nd necessar) as it !n$olds and arbitrate and sol/e the ine/itable inter$erence proble s1 -t is noted that the RA has historicall) been $!nded $ro the re/en!e strea $ro 2' Act licences b!t it is not clear that ,FC,M "ill en3o) the sa e bene$it# Secondl) the agnit!de o$ the Continental inter$erence iss!e needs to be 0!anti$ied# -$. as "idel) belie/ed. onl) a /er) s all percentage o$ the total n! ber o$ e0!ip ents in ser/ice c!rrentl) e4perience inter$erence. it "o!ld not be e0!itable to penalise in cost and ser/ice disr!ption ter s sa) o/er 556 o$ the !sers $or the arginal bene$it o$ less than 56# 'hirdl) a proper st!d) is re0!ired to 3!sti$) the state ent that 2-3MHz o$ spectr! "ill be ade a/ailable b) re-pac%ing o$ channel assign ents# 2itho!t this additional spectr! the align ent plan gi/es no bene$its. as the 7MHz gained b) the "ithdra"al o$ the e ergenc) ser/ices "ill be a/ailable "itho!t align ent# Fo!rthl) a $!ll engineering st!d) needs to be "or%ed o!t in detail sho"ing ho" a large !ser. "ho $or health. sa$et) or operational reasons cannot close the s)ste e/en $or a brie$ period. can carr) o!t an align ent proced!re# Heathro" Airport "o!ld pro/ide an e4cellent case st!d)# 8astl) the appro4i ate cost to ind!str) and !sers o$ align ent in accordance "ith the plan needs to be "or%ed o!t "ith $!ll cons!ltation "ith ind!str) and !sers "ho are being as%ed to $ind the one)# 'he absence o$ an) $ig!res at all in 'able 2 o$ the cons!ltation doc! ent is a serio!s o ission# 2e belie/e that onl) a$ter satis$actor) reports are a/ailable on these $i/e iss!es and are p!blished9 sho!ld ,FC,M proceed "ith band align ent plan# 'he dela) o$ possibl) si4 onths "hile the iss!es are addressed is o$ no great conse0!ence. as it is !nli%el) that the Air"a/e pro3ect $or the : ergenc) Ser/ices "ill sta) "ithin its originall) p!blished ti e scale# A $inal point is the iss!e o$ spectr! trading# 'he Cons!ltation <oc! ent does not co ent on this in an) depth. b!t trading co!ld a%e align ent "ith Continental :!rope !nnecessar) and !ndesirable# Ad/erse econo ic conse0!ences "o!ld then be a/oided# -t "o!ld see ad/isable to st!d) the i plications generall) o$ trading in this occ!pied band and lin% this "ith the conse0!ences o$ align ent#

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FCS response to the RA 450-470 MHz band align ent cons!ltation March 2003 """#$cs#org#!%

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INTRODUCTION 'he Federation o$ Co !nication Ser/ices. FCS. the obile co !nications ser/ices ind!str) trade association. on behal$ o$ its e bers deli/ering (ri/ate Mobile Radio *(MR+ prod!cts and ser/ices "elco es the opport!nit) to co ent on the 450-470 MHz =and Align ent cons!ltation doc! ent. <ece ber 2002# Co panies that are e bers o$ FCS are listed on the FCS "ebsite. """#$cs#org#!%# A representati/e o$ the FCS attended the -nd!str) 2or%ing >ro!p eetings d!ring the period "hen the proposed process $or an) align ent "as de/eloped !sing t"el/e steps as e4plained in Anne4 C o$ the cons!ltation doc! ent# 2e "ish to congrat!late the Radio Agenc) engineers "ho de/eloped this process# -t is !nderstandabl) co ple4 and all parties realise that there is considerable ris% that a partic!lar step a) generate !ne4pected inter$erence proble s# 'his co!ld res!lt in the necessit) to a%e changes to the $re0!enc) plan# 'he ?Step@ approach is ho"e/er the onl) probable "a) o$ carr)ing o!t the e4ercise# For this reason "e dra" attention to Cla!se 4#4 in "hich the state ent is ade. ?-t is the RAAs responsibilit) to anage the inter$erence en/iron ent d!ring align ent transitions9 RA "ill there$ore en$orce a strict i ple entation plan. "or%ing in partnership "ith radio site engineers and !sers@# -t is hoped that ,FC,M "ill appreciate that "hen it ta%es o/er the RAAs responsibilities it "ill ha/e to retain the tea o$ highl) s%illed radio engineers $or an) )ears to s!per/ise the align ent# 'he r!nning costs o$ the tea "ill be signi$icant and sho!ld be incl!ded !nder the heading C,S'S in 'able 2 on (age 20# #UANTIFYING THE COSTS AND BENEFITS 'his iss!e is co/ered b) Appendi4 &. "hich incl!des the inco plete 'able 2# 'he lac% o$ in$or ation on this s!b3ect is /er) !nderstandable beca!se there are se/en di$$erent a3or categories o$ !ser *(age 5+ and se/eral ore inor categories spread o/er appro4i atel) 25.000 licences *(age &&+# '"o (!blic Mobile <ata operators ha/e o/er 70.000 s!bscribers bet"een the # At the other end o$ the scale there are a large n! ber o$ s all !sers "ith a single base station and less than ten /ehicle obile or hand held portable e0!ip ents# -t is this enor o!s di/ersit) o$ !se that a%es 0!anti$)ing the re-align ent costs an e4ceedingl) di$$ic!lt tas%# For e4a ple identi$)ing the cost o$ b!siness disr!ption is /er) i portant b!t depends on ho" long it ta%es to realign the $leet. "hich is also !n%no"n !ntil detailed planning ta%es place# 'he FCS $eels that the Reg!lator) - pact Assess ent gi/en in Anne4 A *(age &5+ sho!ld not go $or"ard !ntil a ballpar% $ig!re $or costs is agreed# At this stage all that can be said is that spread o/er all categories o$ !ser the costs lie bet"een B&0 and B&00 illion# -t is noted that ind!str) and !sers "ill be e4pected to $!nd the cost o$ the band re-align ent and it is reasonable to s!ggest that an appro4i ate esti ate is necessar). acc!rate to sa) C or D 506#

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FCS response to the RA 450-470 MHz band align ent cons!ltation March 2003 """#$cs#org#!%

-t is $!rther noted that the a3orit) o$ !sers "ill not e4perience an) bene$its at all $ro the realign ent# ,nl) the s all n! ber o$ !sers c!rrentl) e4periencing Continental inter$erence "ill see an) ad/antage# 3#4 Appendi4 & (aragraph 2. E!anti$)ing the =ene$its. the state ent is ade. ?=and align ent "ill release additional spectr! b) re-pac%ing e4isting !sers into the band ore e$$icientl)# -t is esti ated that an additional 2-3MHz o$ spectr! a) be released@# -n the $ollo"ing table on page &5 a bene$it o$ B55-B;2 illion is clai ed $ro this spectr! incre ent# 'he table also sho"s a bene$it o$ B&75 illion $or the 7MHz o$ spectr! released b) the : ergenc) Ser/ices b!t correctl) states that this "ill occ!r regardless o$ align ent# 'here is no indication o$ ho" ?re-pac%ing@ "ill release spectr! # 2hether the band is aligned or not the sa e n! ber o$ &2#5FHz channels "ill be a/ailable and can be loaded to achie/e high spectr! e$$icienc) to the sa e degree# 'he "hole case $or econo ic bene$it b) align ent "ith Continental :!rope rests on this iss!e. )et the Cons!ltation <oc! ent onl) to!ches on the s!b3ect "ith the abo/e brie$ state ent in t"o short sentences# 'here is e/en a ris% o$ loss o$ spectr! b) align ent. as once align ent has ta%en place it "ill be necessar) to cons!lt "ith the licensing a!thorities o$ :ire. France. the Getherlands. =elgi! and 8!4e bo!rg be$ore assigning a channel in coastal areas# 'his tedio!s process co!ld "ell res!lt in loss o$ spectr! co pared to the c!rrent sit!ation beca!se the) a) not agree to share channels "ith HF !sers# 4# 4#& FEASIBILITY OF ALIGNMENT Altho!gh the cons!ltation doc! ent in its Anne4 C de onstrates an acceptable ?step@ proced!re $or re-align ent. little atte pt has been ade as to ho" a !ser "ho cannot sh!t do"n his s)ste $or an) reason. is going to align# 'he <ra$t Reg!lator) - pact Assess ent incl!ded as Anne4 A *(age &5+ a%es the s!ggestion9 ?<!ring the transition period !sers a) re0!ire parallel r!nning@# -t is ass! ed that parallel r!nning eans lea/ing the original s)ste $!ll) operational "hile installing a ne" base station s)ste on the ne" $re0!encies and then operating it si !ltaneo!sl) "ith the original s)ste and. at the sa e ti e. progressi/el) aligning the /ehicle installed obiles and hand portables to the ne" $re0!encies# As it is ainl) large !sers "ho cannot sh!t do"n at all $or align ent. there "ill !s!all) be an) base stations in/ol/ed. necessar) to gi/e "ide area co/erage# F!rther ore. to per it operation o$ a large n! ber o$ /ehicle installed obile e0!ip ents and hand portables. se/eral channels "ill be in !se $!rther increasing the n! ber o$ base stations# 'o te poraril) do!ble the n! ber o$ base stations operating d!ring the align ent process is al ost certain to generate se/ere inter od!lation t)pe inter$erence that is i possible to predict# -n conse0!ence d!ring the align ent process the grade o$ ser/ice co!ld deteriorate as to be totall) !nacceptable# 'here is also the 0!estion o$ $inding space to acco odate additional base station e0!ip ent on e4isting sites# F!rther ore the associated antenna ast a) not be able to s!pport an additional antenna# ,$ co!rse an additional antenna a) be a/oided b) !se o$ special *and e4pensi/e+ antenna co biners $or "hich again space "o!ld need to be $o!nd in the base station e0!ip ent 5
FCS response to the RA 450-470 MHz band align ent cons!ltation March 2003 """#$cs#org#!%

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roo # -$ the ne" base station e0!ip ent has to be installed at a di$$erent site. then additional telephone lines or icro"a/e lin%s a) be re0!ired to connect to the despatcher control location# 4#4 (arallel "or%ing as described abo/e in/ol/es the p!rchase and installation o$ ne" base stations on the ne" $re0!encies# Ho"e/er. a !ser "ith an) base stations a) be able to a%e the align ent on a piece eal progressi/e basis. "hich "o!ld enable re-!se o$ ost o$ the old base stations "ith onl) a s all n! ber o$ ne" stations re0!ired# Ho"e/er this "o!ld lengthen signi$icantl) the ti e it "o!ld ta%e to co plete align ent and a%e it !ch ore co plicated# -t is not s!ggested that parallel "or%ing cannot be carried o!t in a di$$erent "a). b!t "hat is clear is that the Cons!ltation <oc! ent a%es no atte pt to report on this iss!e !pon "hich the align ent process is criticall) dependent# A clear e4a ple o$ a potentiall) i possible sit!ation is Heathro" Airport. "here an) tho!sand /ehicle. obile and hand portable e0!ip ents are in !se# 'he Cons!ltation <oc! ent brie$l) states that RA engineers "ill "or% in partnership "ith s!ch !sers to plan their align ent# *(age &2+# F!rther ore a large n! ber o$ airport contractors. ta4is and other categories o$ !sers. "ith their o"n s)ste s controlled $ro o!tside the airport operate "ithin and close to its peri eter# 'hese a) or a) not ha/e aligned# :ither "a) the potential $or inter$ering "ith the airport s)ste s d!ring and possibl) a$ter align ent is signi$icant# 'here is no g!arantee that RA engineers and the !ser engineering sta$$ "ill $ind an inter$erence$ree sol!tion# 4#7 A si ilar proble e4ists "ith the (!blic <ata Get"or% ,perators and o/er t"o h!ndred /ehicle obile or hand portable e0!ip ents# an) other s)ste s "ith

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Hntil a test case "ith one large !ser has been "or%ed o!t in detail. acceptable to the !ser and the RAI ,FC,M. the technical and econo ic $easibilit) o$ the proposed band align ent !st be considered !npro/en# 5# 5#& SPECTRUM EFFICIENCY 'he cons!ltation doc! ent. rightl) so. entions the need to dri/e $or spectr! e$$icienc) and atte pts to lin% this "ith Jne" technolog)@ and the trend to"ards ?digital@# 'he 450-470MHz band is c!rrentl) assigned to &2#5FHz channel spaced analog!e FM e0!ip ent# -t is a $act that s!ch e0!ip ent a%es /er) e$$icient !se o$ the spectr! beca!se it has. in accordance "ith the appropriate :'S- standard. /er) lo" noise on its ad3acent channels# 'here is no possibilit) o$ an) &2#5FHz channel spacing $!t!re digital s)ste being an) better# 'his is 3!st the la" o$ ph)sics# -n $act e4isting digital s)ste s in ser/ice. s!ch as >SM and <:C'. are "orse# -n the case o$ these t"o s)ste s this is not too i portant beca!se the) both ha/e a !ni0!e $re0!enc) band# 'his enables the band !sage to be planned so that ad3acent channel noise $ro a trans itter does not ha/e a recei/er on that ad3acent channel geographicall) close to it# 'his itigation proced!re is i possible in the 450-470MHz hand "ith its !ltiplicit) o$ di$$erent categories o$ !ser# -t is "rong to i pl) that $!t!re (MR digital s)ste s "ith ne" technolog) "ill i pro/e spectr! e$$icienc)# Garro" band digital technolog). appropriate $or &2#5FHz (MR. is a/ailable toda)# 7
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FCS response to the RA 450-470 MHz band align ent cons!ltation March 2003

Ho"e/er $or /ario!s reasons no an!$act!rer is o$$ering s!ch e0!ip ent# Hn$ort!natel) digital s)ste s cannot share channels "ith e4isting analog!e installations. so narro" band digital (MR cannot be licensed in the 450-470MHz band !ntil the 7MHz o$ spectr! beco es a/ailable "hen the : ergenc) Ser/ices co plete their igration to the Air"a/e (ro3ect# 7# 7#& CONTINENTAL INTERFERENCE ,ne o$ the ain reasons gi/en $or band align ent is to eli inate inter$erence to HF base station recei/ers $ro base station trans itters $ro Continental :!rope# 'his onl) occ!rs to installations on the So!th :ast and So!th coasts o$ the H#F# there is also potential inter$erence $ro :ire# Ho"e/er the cons!ltation doc! ent a%es no e$$ort to 0!anti$) the n! ber o$ s)ste s e4periencing s!ch inter$erence at an !nacceptable le/el. "hich is a serio!s o ission# 'he onl) case that "e a"are o$ is inter$erence to Scanning 'ele etr) s)ste s operated b) so e !tilities# Ho"e/er the proble "as sol/ed an) )ears ago b) appl)ing /ario!s itigating technologies# -t is $ort!ito!s that there is no great concentration o$ s)ste s on the So!th :ast and So!th coasts# =) care$!l base station recei/er siting. directional antennas and other techni0!es. the ind!str) has learned ho" li/e "ith the proble # 7#3 'he FCS e ber "ho is based in <o/er and is a a3or (MR dealer $or S: :ngland does not $ind Continental inter$erence a restriction on his b!siness# F!rther ore it is pointed o!t that a$ter align ent 20 or ore iles o$ sea"ater "ill not stop Continental base stations generating li ited inter$erence "ith HF obiles in coastal areas# A$ter align ent it "ill in $act be necessar) $or the HF *,FC,M+ to co-ordinate "ith the rele/ant co!ntries in Continental :!rope to ini ise s!ch inter$erence# 2itho!t align ent s!ch coordination o$ indi/id!al channel assign ents is !nnecessar) and is c!rrentl) not carried o!t# Align ent "ill in $act onl) e4change one /er) li ited $or o$ inter$erence "ith another# 'he 0!estion has to be as%ed "hether Continental inter$erence can be !sed as a reason to s!pport the cost and disr!ption o$ band re/ersal# S!rel) $or the a3orit) o$ !sers to s!$$er $or the bene$it o$ a inorit) o$ an !nidenti$ied n! ber o$ !sers is "rong# 7 ADDITIONAL SPECTRUM

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7#& 2ith the e4it o$ the : ergenc) Ser/ices $ro the 450-470MHz band. 7MHz o$ spectr! "ill beco e a/ailable "hether the band is aligned or not# 'he cons!ltation doc! ent con$ir s this# Ho"e/er in addition it is clai ed in Appendi4 & !nder the heading 2. E!anti$)ing the =ene$its. on (age &;. that an additional 2-3MHz o$ spectr! a) be released b) re-pac%ing e4isting !sers into the band ore e$$icientl)# 7#2 Hn$ort!natel) no e4planation is gi/en on this s!ggested re-pac%ing process# 2hether the band is aligned or not. the sa e n! ber o$ &2#5FHz channels are a/ailable# -t is %no"n that b) act!all) onitoring channel !sage. the RA "ill be able to identi$) lightl) loaded channels and channels "hich ha/e $allen into dis!se e/en tho!gh the licensee is still pa)ing $or it# 'his process is not repac%ing#

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FCS response to the RA 450-470 MHz band align ent cons!ltation March 2003 """#$cs#org#!%

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o!r perspecti/e the "hole case $or align ent rests on the acc!rac) o$ the state ent that a$ter align ent 2-3MHz o$ additional spectr! "ill beco e a/ailable# 'o to!ch on this i portant iss!e so brie$l) is not eno!gh to s!pport the attracti/e clai # -t co!ld be that the ter ?pac%ing@ re$ers to the ne" RA i pro/ed co p!terised channel assign ent tool. "hich "ith on-air channel onitoring. enables channels to be ore hea/il) loaded# 'his tool can o$ co!rse be !sed on the e4isting band plan "ith the sa e bene$icial res!lts#

COST OF E#UIPMENT

;#& -t is clai ed that band align ent "ill res!lt in lo"er e0!ip ent costs# 'his state ent is based on the ass! ption that e0!ip ent $or the HF is a non standard co pared to that ar%eted in Continental :!rope and non standard e0!ip ent is al"a)s ore e4pensi/e# 'his arg! ent. altho!gh possibl) tr!e ten )ears ago. is de$ecti/e toda)# ;#2 'he de/elop ent o$ lo" cost integrated circ!it s)nthesisers has sol/ed the proble $or an!$act!rers. all o$ "ho loo% to"ards !nhar onised global. not 3!st :!ropean and certainl) not 3!st the HF ar%ets# :0!ip ent on o$$er is totall) $re0!enc) agile beca!se on a global basis there are "ide ranges o$ channel assign ent strategies# -t does not atter "hether the base station trans itting $re0!enc) is abo/e or belo" the recei/ing $re0!enc) or "hat the separation bet"een the t"o $re0!encies is# 'he a3orit) o$ e0!ip ents can be progra ed in a $e" in!tes to an) channel assign ent !sing a co p!ter# & COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT REGULATORY IMPACT ASSESSMENT (RIA) ents on the dra$t R-A

5#& 'he cons!ltation doc! ent in Cla!se &#; on (age 7 speci$icall) states that co are partic!larl) "elco e#

,!r co ents are set o!t belo"# 'he te4t is reprod!ced as appropriate $ro that in Anne4 AK <ra$t Reg!lator) - pact Assess ent o$ the Cons!ltation <oc! ent. incl!ding the b!llet points in the sa e order# 5#2 2*i+ (HR(,S: AG< -G':G<:< :FF:C' Issue and objective To harmonise allocations in accordance with Europe9 Hnderstood. b!t the bene$its o$ the har onisation need re-e4a ination. as the) see arginal#

To reduce the cost of introducing digital equipment. Equipment providers would gain economies of scale in equipment, due to commonality on a European scale9 As e4plained in (aragraph ; o$ this response. this e0!ip ent cost red!ction does not appear to be ade0!atel) s!bstantiated#

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FCS response to the RA 450-470 MHz band align ent cons!ltation March 2003 """#$cs#org#!%

To release spectrum by re-planning the band in an efficient manner. Such spectrum could allow e isting systems to develop and grow, and could ma!e it technically easier to introduce new equipment. "urther spectrum may be released if users migrate to digital equipment9 Re-planning in this conte4t can onl) ean ens!ring e/er) &2#5FHz channel is $!ll) loaded "ith !sers# 'he band plan is settled at the concl!sion o$ the t"el/e steps# Go indication is gi/en sho"ing that the re-planned band a$ter re-align ent releases ne" spectr! other than the 7MHz res!lting $ro the e4it o$ the e ergenc) ser/ices# 'he state ent that $!rther spectr! a) be released i$ !sers igrate to digital e0!ip ent is di$$ic!lt to !nderstand# <igital e0!ip ent "ill still occ!p) a $!ll &2#5FHz channel or ore# Re$erence is ade to (aragraphs 5 and ; o$ this response $or $!rther in$or ation#

To reduce long-term interference from mainland Europe suffered by radio users in this band# As e4plained in (aragraph 7 o$ o!r response this iss!e has ne/er been 0!anti$ied and too tri/ial to 3!sti$) the high align ent costs# a) be

because the Emergency Services may require harmonised spectrum# and To facilitate the consolidation of military spectrum. A$ter the $!ll i ple entation o$ the Air"a/e har onised band. the : ergenc) Ser/ices "ill onl) be /er) inor !sers o$ the 450-470MHz band# Si ilarl) the band is not one o$ the a3or ilitar) bands# -t is di$$ic!lt to see "h) either "o!ld be interested in ?har onisation@ pro/ided. as "ill be the case. the) ha/e access to e0!ip ent $ro se/eral alternati/e s!ppliers#

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$is! %ssessment In the future, there may be an increase in demand for spectrum, to e pand e isting radio services or to provide new services, which could e ceed supply. This could delay or hinder the development of such services. (ro/ided the econo ) gro"s there certainl) "ill be a de and to e4pand e4isting radio ser/ices and pro/ide ne" t)pes o$ ser/ice $or e4isting or ne" !sers# 'he de and "ill e/ent!all) sat!rate the band# 'his has nothing to do "ith align ent o$ the band !nless. as has been stated else"here. that process act!all) releases spectr! $ro e4isting !sers# (aragraph 7 o$ o!r response co/ers this iss!e# Some radio users in the band may continue to e perience &ontinental interference. Les this is possible. b!t !ntil the n! ber o$ c!rrent !sers e4periencing inter$erence is e/al!ated in relation to the /ast a3orit) "ho do not. b!t "ill ha/e to pa) $or the align ent. the i portance o$ this iss!e cannot be assessed# 2ith the band aligned Continental base stations a) inter$ere "ith HF obiles "hich is not the case c!rrentl)# (lease see paragraph 7#3 o$ o!r response $or $!rther details on this iss!e# 5

FCS response to the RA 450-470 MHz band align ent cons!ltation March 2003

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&urrent spectrum may be used inefficiently 'although more efficient technology could be introduced+# 'here is little do!bt that so e c!rrent spectr! in the 450-470MHz band is !sed ine$$icientl). b!t that is beca!se o$ the relati/el) cr!de ethods !sed b) the RA in the past in a%ing assign ents# 2ith c!rrent and ne" co p!terised assign ent s)ste s being introd!ced or alread) introd!ced. incl!ding on-air onitoring. e4isting channel assign ents can be $!rther loaded# 'his process is nothing to do "ith band align ent# 'he s!ggestion that ore e$$icient technolog) co!ld be introd!ced does not $it "ith the la"s o$ ph)sics# As it is generall) agreed that ne" technolog) eans digital technolog). all that can be done is to a4i ise the bit rate in an assigned band"idth consistent "ith achie/ing an acceptable le/el o$ noise generated b) the chosen od!lation process on the ad3acent &2#5FHz channel# Re$erence is ade to (aragraph 5 o$ this response on the s!b3ect o$ Spectr! :$$icienc)#

E isting users or new users wanting to provide radio services to () customers and Europe will not be able to operate on the same frequencies as in Europe, as the band will not be harmonised. Apart $ro the rail"a)s. "hich do not !se the 450-470MHz band $or international operations. no ar%et $or an international (ri/ate Mobile Radio s)ste appears to e4ist $or ob/io!s reasons# -t "o!ld be hopelessl) !necono ic in /ie" o$ the h!ndreds o$ base stations that "o!ld be re0!ired# 'he ar%et $or pri/ate operators o/ing across :!ropean national bo!ndaries is being et b) the >SM p!blic s)ste # -n this conte4t there$ore the absence o$ band har onisation does not atter#

$elease of military spectrum for civil use may be hindered, as the current spectrum configuration does not support non-operational military requirements. -t is not clear "hat this point is# 'he ilitar) are and pres! able "ill re ain inor !sers o$ the 450-470MHz bands $or non-operational ilitar) re0!ire ents. s!ch as on site doc%)ard sec!rit) s)ste s# 2hat has this to do "ith ilitar) /acating part o$ other $re0!enc) s!b bands in the 225-400MHz ilitar) band and ho" is it a$$ected b) align ent1

$is!s associated with re-planning the band* In the transition period, failure to co-ordinate between users moving to new frequencies may result in interference to each other and to other radio users. % ris! is that users will not move according to the new band plan# 'his is not a ris% b!t a certaint)# Altho!gh the t"el/e-step align ent plan prod!ced b) the RA engineers is an e4cellent piece o$ "or%. all engineers %no" that s!ch a co ple4 plan "ill ine/itabl) sho" $la"s "hen i ple ented that cannot be anticipated in ad/ance# At each step ha/ing changed $re0!encies a n! ber o$ s)ste s "ill inter$ere "ith each other and correcti/e action "ill be needed# 'his incl!des changes to antenna con$ig!rations and addition o$ RF $ilters at base station sites or e/en changing one !serAs $re0!enc) again# 'rac%ing do"n the reason $or inter$erence and de/eloping a sol!tion is a highl) specialised tas% that ,FC,M &0

FCS response to the RA 450-470 MHz band align ent cons!ltation March 2003

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radio engineers "ill ha/e to !nderta%e# 'his tas% cannot be !nderta%en b) ind!str) beca!se an i partial independent a!thorit) !st identi$) the part) responsible $or the inter$erence and liable $or e4tra costs# +uring the transition period, some users may require parallel running. There is a ris! that equipment will not be available, or available on time, to operate on old and new frequencies# Again this is a certaint) not a ris%# 'he cons!ltation doc! ent a%es atte pt to anal)se ho" parallel "or%ing "ill be achie/ed# For $!rther in$or ation on this s!b3ect o!r /ie"s are set o!t in (aragraph 4 o$ this response The increase in costs incurred by e isting radio users from moving to new frequencies 'e.g. the increase in cost of shared sites, may have been underestimated. (ncertainty may cause users to move to more costly systems in order to meet their business needs. 2e agree# Ho"e/er. the increase in cost o$ shared sites is nothing to do "ith band align ent# Certainl) so e !sers "ill abandon the !se o$ (ri/ate Mobile Radio in $a/o!r o$ !sing a (!blic S)ste s!ch as >SM. rather than $ace the costs o$ align ent# In the transition period, additional spectrum may be required either for parallel running or as guard bands, to move current radio users to new frequencies. An earlier b!llet point abo/e also to!ches on the s!b3ect o$ parallel r!nning $or !sers "ho cannot sh!t do"n their s)ste $or an) ti e at all $or health. sa$et) or operational reasons# (arallel r!nning is $ra!ght "ith proble s# Re$erence is ade to (aragraph 4 o$ this response# The -ome .ffice may be delayed in migrating to its new digital system, hence delaying implementation of the new band plan. -t is agreed that this is /er) li%el) to happen# 'his gi/es di$$ic!lt 0!estions s!rro!nding the band align ent plan# 5#3 =:G:F-'S 3 *i+ Identifying the /enefits $elease of spectrum by re-pac!ing e isting users into the band more efficiently. This will allow the introduction of new services, or the e pansion of current radio services. In the band alignment survey, around one respondent in ten reported improved access to European customers, an increase in the () customer base, and the ability to enter a new product or service mar!et as potential benefits# 'he cons!ltation doc! ent clai s that b) re-pac%ing e4isting !sers d!ring the align ent process "ill res!lt in the release o$ 2-3MHz o$ spectr! # 'his s!b3ect is disc!ssed in (aragraph 7 o$ o!r response# -t is belie/ed that the ter re-pac%ing re$ers to the ne" i pro/ed co p!terised channel assign ent tool that the RA has or "ill be introd!cing# -n con3!nction "ith on-air onitoring this enables higher channel loading# 'he !se o$ this tool is nothing to do "ith align ent and can be !sed to i pro/e the !tilisation o$ the band as it e4ists toda)# &&
FCS response to the RA 450-470 MHz band align ent cons!ltation March 2003 """#$cs#org#!%

ore ti e to ans"er so e o$ the

As e4plained in (aragraph 3#4 o$ this response no $inancial bene$its are en/isaged as the release o$ 2-3MHz o$ spectr! b) re-pac%ing the band is not s!bstantiated % potential opportunity to introduce spectrum trading in harmonised spectrum. -t is not necessar) to re-align the 450-470MHz band to introd!ce spectr! trading#

$adio users will have a wider choice of systems and may benefit from lower prices of digital equipment# 'his state ent is not accepted# 'he iss!e is disc!ssed in (aragraph ; o$ this response# Aligned or not radio !sers "ill ha/e the sa e choice o$ s)ste s at the sa e prices#

0roviders of radio services may be able to acquire additional () customers. 1ith new equipment allowed to be introduced, possibly with e tra functionality, users may be able to increase the quality of e isting services and gain more customers. In the band alignment survey, over half of those who reported that they would benefit anticipated an increase in the quality of service that their business would provide. "urther, one in five of the 02$ respondents wanted the ability to send te t, 345 the ability to send data and one in ten wanted roaming to a public networ!# 2e agree in general# All these desirable possibilities beco e possible "hen the e ergenc) ser/ices /acate the band# 'he) are not strictl) spea%ing related to band align ent#

%n opportunity to rationalise certain military systems, with subsequent release of spectrum in civil 02$ bands. 'his s!b3ect is to!ched on in an earlier b!llet point. "hich incl!ded a state ent ?to $acilitate the consolidation o$ ilitar) spectr! @# 'he ilitar) are inor !sers o$ the e4isting 450470MHz band $or non- ilitar) operational p!rposes. s!ch as doc%)ard sec!rit) !sing co ercial e0!ip ent# -t co!ld "ell be that the) "ish to contin!e !sing s!ch ser/ices in the band# (ro/ided the). li%e all other !sers o$ the band. !se the spectr! e$$icientl) *i#e# high channel loading+ there can be no reasonable ob3ection# 2hat this has to do "ith s!bse0!ent release o$ spectr! in ci/il (MR bands is not clearl) !nderstood#

5#3#& 4 *i+

C,M(8-AGC: C,S'S /usiness Sectors affected. 'he list o$ si4 categories is inco plete# 'here are se/eral inor categories incl!ding the ilitar) entioned abo/e# A co plete detailed list is re0!ired in order to $!ll) identi$) co pliance costs#

4 *ii+

Identifying &osts 'he $i/e cost ite s listed are agreed# -t is s!ggested that t"o $!rther are added- base station antenna re-planning and ,FC,MAs s!per/isor) costs# Go serio!s e$$ort has )et been ade to identi$) the costs o$ align ent. "hich are considered to lie "ithin the broad li its o$ B&0 - B&00 illion#

&2
FCS response to the RA 450-470 MHz band align ent cons!ltation March 2003 """#$cs#org#!%