OFFICIAL
Wai 2224, #A5(a)
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ANNEXURE A
What is radio spectrum and how is it managed?
1.
TIle .Crown provided full evidence about the nature of radio speCtiU1n itt its
submissions to the WAI 776 claim. In short, the radio spectrum. is a part of
the electromagnetic spectiU1n. While an electromagnetic wave is a physical
thing, the electromagnetic spectrum and the mdio spectrmll are concepts they could perhaps be described as catalogues of certain types of
electromagnetic waves. Specifically, "the radio spectrum" is the name for
electromagnetic waves that have frequencies between 3 kHz and 300 GHz.
2.
There are naturally occurring electromagnetic waves (for example visible light
from the sun) but all the electromagnetic waves of interest here are artificially
generated and received through various types of technology.
3.
The term 'allwaves' is a misnomer. Electromagnetic waves can propagate:in a
vacuum. - they can travel through deep space. They ate physically distinct
from, and not related to, sound waves that require a medium such. as air q.t
water to propagate.
4.
The Crown has managed the radio spect1:um s1l1ce 1903, when it enacted
legislation that made it an offence to establish a station or plant for the
purpose of sending or receiv:ing wireless telegraphy without consent.
5.
The management function now involves the ptovision of rights to use specific
parts of the spectrum (that is, rights to transmit and receive specific
frequencies of radio waves).
Management is necessalY because if not
coordinated radio waves il1ay interfere with each other, negating their effective
use.
6.
The rights to use come in several forms:
6.1
RECEIVED
R£idio /icC11ces ate provided to enable transmission and/or reception
from a specific site. Typical users of radio licences ate land mobile
Waitangi Tribunal
radio and point-to-point links.
23 July 2013
Ministry of Justice
WELLINGTON
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6.2
General tfSer licellces allow anyone to use the frequency withln prescribed
power litnits. Wifi, gatage door openers and cordless phones are
examples of this type of use.
6.3
Management dghts enable the right-owner to utilise that range of
frequencies anywhere within NZ. Management rights are typically
used for cellular networks as they enable the network owner to build
and manage their network to their own requirements.
'This gives
flexibility to add new cell sites as required, and to dete1"tlllne the
appropriate technology to be used. Following enactment of the
Maori Television Se1v1ce Amendment Bill a management right will be
provided fo.r Maori television, enabling those se1v1ces to be deployed
as required across NZ at the discretion of the right holder.
7.
The choice between the use of radio licences or management rights is a matter
of administrative convenience/efficiency for the Crown. Management rights
are typically, but not always, allocated
co:tnme~cially
through an auction or
similar process. This is because sale is an effective method for identifying the
party who places the highest value on future use.
8.
The 300 GHz of spectrum that is actively administered by the Cmwn
encompasses a vety wide range of uses. Fatniliar personal uses include
cellphones, AM/FM radio, GPS, cordless telephones, wifi, bluetooth, garage
door openers, RFID tags, television (terrestrial and satellite) and remotecontrol toys. There ate a variety of conunercial uses including land mobile
radios, walkie-tallcies, radio-microphones, point-to-point links, studio-totransmitter links and 'smart' electricity meters. Beyond this there are many
uses in defence, emergency se1v1ces, the aemnautical indusu:y (air traffic
control, radar, and instrument landing systems), marine users (botl'l recreational
and c01n1nercial), meteorology (rain radar), science and industLy.
9.
While these uses are relatively stable over short periods, in the longer term the
allocations for particular uses change with technology. A current example is
the changing use of the 700 MHz band. This band was previously part of the
band allocated for use by television broadcasters. From 2014 it will be
available for use by cellular mobile services. Frequencies originally deployed
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with 2G cellular technologies ate being redeployed for 4G technologies. These
trends will undoubtedly continue as new technologies are developed and older
technologies no longer provide the sei"Vices requited.
10.
Of the 300 GHz that is managed by the Crown approximately 1 GHz is
allocated for use by mobile phones (that is 1 part in 300 or 0.33%) and 300
MHz for broadcasting use (0.3 parts in 300 or 0.1%) ..
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