The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is reviewing the acquisition limits (“spectrum caps”) on spectrum holdings in the 2.1 GHz band used for 3G mobile. The current limits expire in August 2013, but the government has the option to extend the deeds. The Minister for Communications and Information Technology is considering whether the current limits should be extended for a further period, relaxed to 2x30 MHz, or allowed to lapse altogether. A discussion document is available for download on our website.

The Ministry invites feedback on this discussion document between 21 March and 11 April 2013. Details about how to submit feedback by email or post can be found on our website.  The Minister for Communications and Information Technology will announce the outcome of the review before 30 May 2013.

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Replacement and updating of test and measurement equipment used by the Ministry’s Radio Inspectors has resulted in a range of older equipment being identified as surplus. Arrangements are underway with Turners Auctions in Auckland to dispose of a variety of spectrum analysers and radio receivers along with directional receiving antenna sets and other items. It is expected that the auction and item inspection period will be announced on the Turners website in late April.

Interested buyers are advised that because the items have been in storage and unused for considerable periods and will be provided to Turners on an “as is” basis, that no information or representation is available from the Ministry as to the operational condition of the equipment. The items include Rohde & Schwarz FSH3 spectrum analysers, EB100 Miniport receivers and HE100 antenna sets.

An application has been received for unallocated licences in 5 minor TLA areas and this has been notified on our website.
 

Notice is also given that the allocation of 3.5 GHz licences will be reopened for all unallocated licences from round 3, and for all unimplemented licences, in an allocation process to be announced in May.

In the meantime no further applications for unallocated licences are being accepted, other than pursuant to the process for applications which have already been notified.

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A group of the radio spectrum administrators of Zhejiang province in China recently visited New Zealand. Zhejiang is one of China’s most commercial and richest provinces, with a population of around 55 million and is a quite hilly area on the eastern coast. Mr Xing Baozhong, Deputy Director of the Zhejiang Economic and Information Technology Commission, accompanied by other delegates from the Commission and from the Radio Administration Bureaus of the province met with New Zealand’s Radio Spectrum Management to learn about the planning, licensing and compliance processes followed here.
 

They spent an afternoon in the Auckland RSM office, during which a presentation by Chris Brennan and Fadia Mudafar was enthusiastically discussed, and their questions answered. They were very interested to note that New Zealand manages spectrum requirements including interference and compliance without having a national network of fixed monitoring stations.

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