Ofcom Sets Aside 5G Spectrum for Rail Comms

UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has announced plans to ear-mark part of the 1900MHz spectrum (1900-1920MHz) to the rail industry. The slice of radio band had been given to the national mobile operators but has not been picked up by them. Instead, Ofcom wants to make it available for use on the rail network for 5G mobile/broadband services and for the UK’s 4G Emergency Services Network.

Due to the MNOs’ reluctance to take up this “unpaired 2100MHz band” to sup[ply higher-power services the UK regulator has been investigating alternative uses for it and it seems rail will be the winner.

The full Ofcom proposal is published here :

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/spectrum/frequencies/future-authorisation-of-the-19001920-mhz-band/

From Ofcom:

“What we are proposing – in brief

Authorise 1900–1910 MHz for operational rail communications to enable the rollout of FRMCS. The proposed new FRMCS licences would:

Be restricted to the provision of operational rail communications.

Contain technical conditions suitable for the deployment of FRMCS.

Require technical coordination with other existing or future FRMCS licensees in overlapping or neighbouring geographic areas.

Be issued via a simple process, with checks on applicants’ ability to comply with key licence conditions.

Authorise 1910–1915 MHz to enable Emergency Services Network (ESN) gateways. The proposed licence would:

Be restricted to the provision of ESN gateways by the provider that is contracted by the UK Government to supply these gateways (currently BT/EE).

Have a fixed duration, aligned with the contract to supply ESN gateways.

Allow use throughout Great Britain.

Contain technical conditions consistent with standards used by the ESN.

Set fees based on the opportunity cost of the spectrum. Our proposed annual fee for 1900–1910 MHz is £145,800 per MHz for a licence covering Great Britain and £4,200 per MHz for a licence covering Northern Ireland. Fees would be half these levels in 1910–1915 MHz to reflect the lower power levels permitted. This means that the total annual fee would be:

£1,458,000 for 1900–1910 MHz for a FRMCS licence covering Great Britain, and £42,000 for a licence covering Northern Ireland. Licences for smaller rail networks would pay a smaller fee, scaled by the length of the rail routes covered.

£364,500 for 1910–1915 MHz for an ESN gateway licence covering Great Britain.

Fees would be payable from 3 April 2029 when the spectrum becomes available.

At present, we are not proposing to authorise any use in 1915–1920 MHz, primarily because of the power restrictions necessary to protect the mobile band above 1920 MHz from interference, as well as uncertainty over demand for the spectrum.”

The regulator said it is open to feedback on these proposals but interested parties should make their feelings known by 19th May.

5G and trackside rail communications as well as LEO satellite delivered broadband to trains will be the focus of this year’s Traincomms Conference in London (www.Traincomms.com ).

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