Turn the raw legal text into a practical explanation grounded in Radiocommunications (Unacceptable Levels of Interference - 1800 MHz Band) Determination 2012.
Prepared by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, Melbourne
1 Name of Determination
This Determination is the Radiocommunications (Unacceptable Levels of Interference — 1800 MHz Band) Determination 2012.
4 Purpose
This Determination is made for the purposes of section 145 of the Act and sets out what is an unacceptable level of interference caused by a radiocommunications transmitter operating under a spectrum licence issued in the 1800 MHz band, so as to ensure that high levels of emission from radiocommunications transmitters operated under a spectrum licence are kept within the geographic area and frequency band of the licence.
Note 1 Under section 145 of the Act, the ACMA may refuse to register a radiocommunications transmitter if it is satisfied that the operation of the radiocommunications transmitter could cause an unacceptable level of interference to the operation of other radiocommunications devices under that or any other spectrum licence, or any other licence.
Note 2 The ACMA information paper, Registration of radiocommunications devices under spectrum licences, (available on the ACMA website: www.acma.gov.au), provides further information about the registration of radiocommunications transmitters under Part 3.5 of the Act.
Note 3 The ACMA has issued written advisory guidelines under section 262 of the Act about compatibility requirements in relation to the assignment of frequencies to radiocommunications transmitters operated under apparatus licences and the operation of radiocommunications transmitters under spectrum licences. The ACMA will take these guidelines into account during the settlement of interference disputes. Each case will be assessed on its merits. The guidelines do not prevent a licensee negotiating other compatibility requirements with another licensee. The guidelines are:
active antenna system or AAS means a base station antenna system where the amplitude and/or phase between antenna elements is continually adjusted, resulting in an antenna pattern that varies in response to short term changes in the radio environment.
additional device boundary in relation to a radiocommunications transmitter or a group of radiocommunications transmitters operated under a spectrum licence, means the device boundary calculated using the additional device boundary criterion specified in Schedule 1 of the Radiocommunications Advisory Guidelines (Additional Device Boundary Criteria — 1800 MHz Lower Band) 2012, as in force from time to time.
area of high mobile use means an area described in Schedule 4.
Australian Spectrum Map Grid (ASMG) means the Australian Spectrum Map Grid 2012 published by the ACMA, as in force from time to time.
Note The ASMG can be accessed on the ACMA website: www.acma.gov.au.
Australian territorial sea baseline means the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea, or any part of the territorial sea, is to be measured under section 7 of the Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973.
centre frequency, in relation to a radiocommunications transmitter, means the frequency midway between the lower and upper frequency limits of the transmitter’s occupied bandwidth.
DEM-3S means the dataset:
(a) with the citation “Gallant, J., Wilson, N., Tickle, P.K., Dowling, T., Read, A. 2009. 3 Second SRTM Derived Digital Elevation Model (DEM) Version 1.0. Record 1.0. Geoscience Australia, Canberra”; and
containing modelled terrain height information for Australia, published by Geoscience Australia.
Note Copies of DEM-3S can be obtained, free of charge, using the persistent identifier. More information about DEM-3S can be obtained from the Geoscience Australia website: www.ga.gov.au.
DEM-3S cell means an individual height element of the DEM-3S.
device boundary, in relation to a radiocommunications transmitter or a group of radiocommunications transmitters operated under a spectrum licence, means the device boundary established in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 2.
device boundary criterion means the value of the mathematical expression calculated in accordance with Part 2 of Schedule 2.
effective antenna height means the effective height of an antenna calculated in accordance with Schedule 3.
EIRP, in relation to a radiocommunications device, means the Effective Isotropic Radiated Power of the device.
emission designator means the designation of a radiocommunications transmitter’s emission, determined in accordance with section 6.
fixed receiver means a radiocommunications receiver located at a fixed point on land or sea and not designed or intended for use while in motion.
fixed transmitter means a radiocommunications transmitter located at a fixed point on land or sea and not designed or intended for use while in motion.
Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 means the geodetic datum designated as the “Geocentric Datum of Australia (GDA94)” gazetted in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. GN 35 on 6 September 1995.
Note The Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 is a coordinate reference system which replaces the Australian Geodectic Datum. More information on the GDA94 can be obtained from Geoscience Australia: www.ga.gov.au.
geographic area, for a spectrum licence, means the area within which operation of a radiocommunications device is authorised under the licence.
group of radiocommunications receivers has the meaning given by section 8.
group of radiocommunications transmitters has the meaning given by section 7.
Hierarchical cell identifier scheme (HCIS) means the cell grouping hierarchy scheme used to describe geographic areas in the ASMG.
HCIS identifier means an identifier used to describe a geographic area in the HCIS.
horizontally radiated power, for a radiocommunications device, means the sum of:
(a) the maximum true mean power, in dBm per specified rectangular bandwidth at the antenna connector that is located within the frequency band of the spectrum licence authorising the operation of the radiocommunications device; and
(b) the antenna gain relative to an isotropic antenna in a specified direction in the horizontal plane containing the phase centre of the antenna used with the radiocommunications device, in dBi.
location, in relation to a radiocommunications transmitter or group of radiocommunications transmitters, means the location of the transmitter or group of radiocommunications transmitters, as the case may be, calculated in accordance with Schedule 1.
maximum true mean power means the true mean power measured in a specified rectangular bandwidth that is located within a specified frequency band such that the true mean power is the maximum of true mean powers produced.
Note The power within a specified bandwidth is normally established by taking measurements using either an adjacent channel power meter or a spectrum analyser. The accuracy of measuring equipment, measurement procedure and any corrections to measurements necessary to take account of practical filter shape factors would normally be in accordance with standard engineering practice.
mean power means the average power measured during an interval of time that is at least 10 times the period of the lowest modulation frequency.
mobile transmitter means a radiocommunications transmitter that is only designed or intended for use while in motion or during halts at unspecified points on land or sea.
occupied bandwidth, in relation to a radiocommunications transmitter, means the width of a frequency band having upper and lower limits that are necessary to contain 99% of the true mean power of the transmitter’s emission at any time.
Radio Regulations means the ‘Radio Regulations’ published by the International Telecommunication Union, as in force from time to time.
Note Copies of the Radio Regulations can be obtained from the ITU: www.itu.int.
true mean power means:
(a) if an unmodulated carrier is present — the mean power measured while the unmodulated carrier is present; and
(b) if an unmodulated carrier is not present — the mean power measured while transmitted information is present.
(2) In this Determination, unless otherwise specified, the range of numbers that identifies a frequency band includes the higher, but not the lower, number.
Note A number of terms used in this Determination, are defined in the Act and unless the contrary intention appears, have the meanings given to them by the Act. Those terms include:
ACMA
core condition
frequency band
interference
radiocommunications device
radiocommunications receiver
radiocommunications transmitter
radio emission
Register
spectrum licence
5A References to other instruments
In this Determination, unless the contrary intention appears:
(a) a reference to any other legislative instrument is a reference to that other legislative instrument as in force from time to time; and
(b) a reference to any other kind of instrument or writing is a reference to that other instrument or writing as in force or in existence from time to time.
Note 1 For references to Commonwealth Acts, see section 10 of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901; and see also subsection 13(1) of the Legislation Act 2003 for the application of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 to legislative instruments.
Note 2 All Commonwealth Acts and legislative instruments are registered on the Federal Register of Legislation.
Note 3 See section 314A of the Act.
6 Emission designator
(1) In this Determination, the designation of a radiocommunications transmitter’s emission (emission designator) is determined using the methods specified in the Radio Regulations.
(2) For the purpose of determining the designation of a radiocommunications transmitter’s emission using the methods specified in the Radio Regulations, the references to necessary bandwidth for a given class of emission are taken to be references to the occupied bandwidth of the transmitter.
Note At the date of making this Determination, Appendix 1 of the Radio Regulations made provision for determining the designation of a radiocommunications transmitter’s emission.
7 Group of radiocommunications transmitters
(1) In this Determination, two or more fixed transmitters are a group of radiocommunications transmitters if:
(a) they have the same centre frequency and emission designator;
(b) they are operated for the purpose of communicating with the same radiocommunications receiver or group of radiocommunications receivers;
(c) each has an antenna of the same type, model and manufacturer;
(d) the antenna used with each fixed transmitter is located on the same structure and within 20 metres of the phase centre of all antennas within the group of radiocommunications transmitters; and
(e) the identification number assigned by the ACMA to the antenna used with each radiocommunications transmitter is the same.
(2) A radiocommunications transmitter must not belong to more than one group of radiocommunications transmitters.
(3) The location of a group of radiocommunications transmitters is calculated in accordance with Schedule 1.
8 Group of radiocommunications receivers
(1) In this Determination, two or more fixed receivers are a group of radiocommunications receivers if:
(a) they are operated for the purpose of communicating with the same radiocommunications transmitter or group of radiocommunications transmitters;
(b) each has an antenna of the same type, model and manufacturer;
(c) the antenna used with each fixed receiver is located on the same structure and within 20 metres of the phase centre of all antennas within the group of radiocommunications receivers; and
(d) the identification number assigned by the ACMA to the antenna used with each radiocommunications receiver is the same.
(2) A radiocommunications receiver must not belong to more than one group of radiocommunications receivers.
(3) The location of a group of radiocommunications receivers is calculated in accordance with Schedule 1 as if the group of receivers were a group of radiocommunications transmitters.
9 Unacceptable level of interference
(1) A level of interference caused by a radiocommunications transmitter operated under a spectrum licence issued for the 1800 MHz band is unacceptable if:
(a) the operation of the transmitter in the 1800 MHz band results in a breach of a core condition of the licence relating to the maximum permitted level of radio emission from the transmitter:
(i) outside the parts of the spectrum the use of which is authorised under the licence; or
(ii) outside the geographic area of the licence; or
(b) subject to subsection (2), any part of the device boundary of the transmitter lies outside of the geographic area of the licence; or
(c) the device boundary of the transmitter cannot be calculated in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 2; or
(d) the transmitter:
(i) operates in the 1800 MHz Lower band; and
(ii) has an antenna with an effective antenna height for any radial n, he1(n) greater than 10 metres; and
(iii) operates within an area of high mobile use specified in Schedule 4; or
(e) the transmitter:
(i) operates in the 1800 MHz Lower band; and
(ii) has an antenna with an effective antenna height for any radial n, he1(n) greater than 10 metres; and
(iii) has an occupied bandwidth with lower or upper frequency limits that is less than 10 MHz from a frequency adjacent spectrum licence in the same area; or
(f) any part of the additional device boundary of the transmitter lies outside of the geographic area of the licence and the transmitter:
(i) operates in the 1800 MHz Lower band; and
(ii) has an antenna with an effective antenna height for any radial n, he1(fn) greater than 10 metres; and
(iii) operates outside an area of high mobile use specified in Schedule 4.
(2) A level of interference mentioned in paragraph (1)(b) is not unacceptable in relation to a part of the device boundary of the transmitter that:
(a) lies outside the geographic area of the licence; and
(b) is connected to a radial that:
(i) is mentioned in Part 1 of Schedule 2; and
(ii) does not cross over land outside the geographical area of the licence that is permanently above the Australian territorial sea baseline, and
(iii) does not cross into any of the following HCIS identifiers: IW3E, IW3I, IW3M, IW6A, IW6E, KX9, LX7, LX8, LX9.
Note In subparagraph (2)(b)(iii), the HCIS identifiers beginning with IW cover an area near Adelaide, and the HCIS identifiers beginning with KX and LX cover an area in Bass Strait.
(3) This section does not apply in relation to a radiocommunications transmitter to which section 11 applies.
Note Subsection 145(1) of the Act provides that the ACMA may refuse to include in the Register details of a radiocommunications transmitter if the ACMA is satisfied that operation of the transmitter could cause an unacceptable level of interference to the operation of other radiocommunications devices. However, some radiocommunications transmitters are exempt from the requirement to be registered in the Register under their 1800 MHz band spectrum licence – see subsection 69(2) of the Act. Accordingly, these transmitters are not required to meet the device boundary criterion specified in this Determination.
10 Accuracy
Unless otherwise specified, the value of a parameter in Schedules 1, 2 and 3 must be estimated with a level of confidence not less than 95 percent that the true value of the parameter will always remain below the requirement specified in this Determination.
11 Transition – radiocommunications transmitter registered before commencement of this section
(1) If a radiocommunications transmitter was included in the Register in relation to a spectrum licence in the 1800 MHz band before the commencement of this section (relevant transmitter), this section applies in relation to that transmitter.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), for the purposes of subsection 145(4) of the Act, a level of interference caused by a relevant transmitter is unacceptable if it would have been unacceptable under this Determination as in force at the time the relevant transmitter was included in the Register.
Note: This Determination, and previous versions of this Determination, can be obtained, free of charge, from the Federal Register of Legislation: www.legislation.gov.au.
(3) For the purposes of subsection 145(4) of the Act, if:
(a) after the commencement of this section, both:
(i) a detail of a relevant transmitter changes (relevant change); and
(ii) the change to the detail is recorded in the Register; and
(b) the distance of the new device boundary of the relevant transmitter is, on each radial mentioned in Part 1 of Schedule 2, equal to or less than the distance of the old device boundary of the relevant transmitter on that radial; and
(c) but for the effect of this subsection, a level of interference caused by the relevant transmitter, immediately after the change time, would be unacceptable;
the level of interference caused by the relevant transmitter, immediately after the change time, is not unacceptable because of the relevant change.
(4) In subsection (3):
change time, for a relevant transmitter, means the time the relevant change is recorded in the Register.
new device boundary, of a relevant transmitter, means the device boundary of the transmitter established immediately after the change time, in accordance with this Determination as in force at the change time.
old device boundary, of a relevant transmitter, means the device boundary of the transmitter established immediately before the change time, in accordance with this Determination as in force at the registration time.
registration time, for a relevant transmitter, means the time the transmitter was included in the Register.
Schedule 1 Location of a transmitter
(subsections 5(1), 7(3) and 8(3), and section 10)
The location of a radiocommunications transmitter, (lt, Lt) is the location (by latitude and longitude with reference to the Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994) of the phase centre of the radiocommunications transmitter’s antenna.
The location of a group of radiocommunications transmitters, (lt, Lt) is the location (by latitude and longitude with reference to the Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994) of the centre point between the phase centre of each radiocommunications transmitter antenna within the group.
In determining the location of a radiocommunications transmitter, or a group of radiocommunications transmitters, the measurement error should be less than 10 metres.
Note 1 The ACMA issues site identifiers for established radiocommunications locations available in the Register.
Note 2 The ACMA provides advice on its website to assist licensees in determining the location and measurement error of a transmitter site in the document Business Operating Procedure (BOP) – Radiocommunications site data requirements.
Schedule 2 Device boundaries
(subsection 5(1), 9(1) and 9(2), and section 10)
Part 1 Device boundary of a transmitter
The device boundary of a single radiocommunications transmitter is established as follows:
Step 1: Calculate the device boundary criterion at each m×100 metre increment along each of the n-degree radials, where:
(a) m is the values 1 through 400; and
(b) n is the values 0 (true north) through 359.
Step 2: For each radial, find the latitude and longitude of the first point (lowest value of m) where either:
(a) RP-MP is less than or equal to 0; or
(b) m is equal to 400.
Step 3: The end point of each radial is the device boundary of the radiocommunications transmitter.
Note RP-MP (device boundary criterion) is calculated under Part 2.
For a group of radiocommunications transmitters the device boundary is to be calculated as if for a single radiocommunications transmitter. The radiated power (RP) for groups of radiocommunications transmitters is taken:
(a) to be equal for each bearing σn; and
(b) to have a value that is the maximum horizontally radiated power, in any direction, of any radiocommunications transmitter in the group.
Note n is the bearing of the nth-degree radial for the group of radiocommunications transmitters.
Part 2 Device boundary criterion
The device boundary criterion is the value of the mathematical expression:
RP-MP
where:
MP
:
is PL(lmn,Lmn) + LOP - Gr
RP
:
is the horizontally radiated power, measured in dBm EIRP per 30 kHz, for each bearing, σn,
LOP
:
is the level of protection. For radiocommunications transmitters with AAS, the LOP is -107 dBm per 30 kHz. For radiocommunications transmitters without AAS, the LOP is –115 dBm per 30 kHz,
Gr
:
is the nominal radiocommunications receiver antenna gain including feeder loss set to 0 dBi,
PL(lmn, Lnm)
:
is the propagation loss (dB) set out in Part 3 of the mth increment on the nth radial.
Part 3 Calculation of propagation loss
In calculating PL(lmn, Lnm):
f
:
is the nominal frequency of the radiocommunications transmitter, being 1840 MHz.
hgr
:
is the nominal radiocommunications receiver antenna height above ground level, being 1.5 metres.
:
is the transmitter effective antenna height (in metres) as defined in Schedule 3, except:if < 1.5 metres, then = 1.5 metres; orif > 500 metres then = 500 metres.
d(lmn, Lmn)
:
is the distance in kilometres between the location of the radiocommunications transmitter, (lt, Lt), and the mth increment on the nth radial (lmn, Lmn).
The propagation loss for the mth increment on the nth radial is established as follows:
Step 1: Calculate the parameters required
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Step 2: Calculate the propagation loss for the mth increment on the nth radial
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Note The formula in Step 1 and Step 2 use the Modified Hata propagation model from ERC Report 068 published by the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) in 2000 and revised in 2002.
Schedule 3 Effective antenna height and average ground height
(subsection 5(1) and section 10)
Part 1 Effective antenna height of a transmitter
If:
(a) hgt is the vertical height in metres of the phase centre of the fixed transmitter’s antenna measured with an error of less than 5 parts in 100 and relative to the point:
(i) located on the line of intersection between the external surface of the structure supporting the antenna and the surface of the ground or sea; and
(ii) having the lowest elevation on that line;
(b) hs is the sum of the DEM-3S cell height at the location of the radiocommunications transmitter as (defined in Schedule 1) and hgt; and
(c) Image unavailable in extracted text is the average ground height of the DEM-3S cell at each m-increment on each n-radial as calculated in accordance with Part 2;
then the effective antenna height Image unavailable in extracted text is Image unavailable in extracted text (as shown in Diagram 1) except when Image unavailable in extracted text is less than Image unavailable in extracted text, in which case Image unavailable in extracted text is Image unavailable in extracted text.
For a group of radiocommunications transmitters, hgt is the greatest of the hgt for each individual transmitter in the group, calculated as in 1(a).
If the seconds component of the latitude or longitude of the radiocommunications transmitter as defined in Schedule 1, plus 1.5, has a modulus of zero when divided by 3, then hs is the sum of:
(a) hgt; and
(b) the maximum height of the adjacent DEM-3S cells.
Diagram 1 Calculating effective antenna height
Diagram 1 Calculating effective antenna height
Part 2 Average ground height
The average ground height for the mth increment on the nth radial is calculated as follows:
Step 1: determine the associated latitude and longitude Image unavailable in extracted text of the mth increment on the nth radial as calculated in Part 3.
Step 2: identify the DEM-3S cell represented by the latitude and longitude of the mth increment on the nth radial.
Step 3: bound the identified DEM-3S cell with the 8 adjacent DEM-3S cells in a 3x3 matrix and obtain each DEM-3S cell height attribute (as shown in Diagram 2).
Step 4: determine the average value of height from the 3x3 matrix.
If the seconds component of Image unavailable in extracted text, plus 1.5, has a modulus of zero when divided by 3, then the corresponding DEM-3S cell, for the purposes of Step 2 in item 1, is the adjacent DEM-3S cell with the minimum height.
Diagram 2 Calculating average ground height
Diagram 2 Calculating average ground height
Part 3 Vincenty’s Formulae
Note This implementation of Vincenty’s Direct Formulae uses the parameters Image unavailable in extracted textfrom the GRS80 ellipsoid as referenced by the Geocentric Datum of Australia1994 (GDA94).
In calculatingImage unavailable in extracted text:
lt
:
is the latitude of the fixed transmitter (decimal radians)
Lt
:
is the longitude of the fixed transmitter (decimal radians)
α
:
is the azimuth angle (decimal radians)
d
:
is the separation distance to required point (m×500 metres)
a
:
is the semi-major axis of (6378137 metres)
fl
:
is the flattening of (1/298.25722210)
b
:
is the semi-minor axis of (a×(1-fl))
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Using an initial value Image unavailable in extracted text, iterate the following three equations until the change in ϕ is less than 10-12.
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Then:
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Schedule 4 Areas of high mobile use
(subsection 5 (1) and 9(1))
Description of Area
(1) Areas of high mobile use are the areas of land described in Column 1 of the tables below.
(2) An area of high mobile use can be determined by the aggregation of block areas referenced by HCIS identifiers used to describe it which are specified in the corresponding Column 2 of the tables below. Refer to the ASMG for a complete description of the naming convention referred to as the HCIS.
Notes to the Radiocommunications (Unacceptable Levels of Interference — 1800 MHz Band) Determination 2012
Note 1
The Radiocommunications (Unacceptable Levels of Interference — 1800 MHz Band) Determination 2012 (in force under subsection 145(4) of the Radiocommunications Act 1992) as shown in this compilation is amended as indicated in the Tables below.
Table of Instruments
Title
Date of notificationin Gazette or FRLI registration