Pursuant to Regulation 9 of the Radiocommunications Regulations 2001 (“Regulations”) made under section 116(1)(b) of the Radiocommunications Act 1989, and acting under delegated authority from the chief executive, I give the following notice.

Notice

1. Short title and commencement—(1) This notice is the Radiocommunications Regulations (General User Radio Licence for Satellite Services) Notice 2017.

(2) This notice comes into force on 8 June 2017.

2. Licence—

3. Spectrum—

4. Location—

5. Special conditions—

1. Use is limited to MSS.
2. Use is limited to SNG.
3. Use is limited to VSAT.
4. The maximum permitted emission bandwidth per channel is 20 MHz.
5. Transmissions are permitted from land earth stations operating in accordance with the class of station known as “Earth Station in Motion” (ESIM) to communicate with satellite network for the purpose of FSS or MSS.
6. In the band 14,000 – 14,500 MHz, stations for the purpose of MSS, including “Earth Station in Motion” (ESIM), must not cause interference to, or claim protection from, stations for the purpose of FSS operating as SNG and VSAT.

6. General conditions applying to all transmissions under this licence—

1. Transmitters must conform to technical standards as prescribed by the respective satellite service provider, and any applicable standards as prescribed in notices made under Regulation 32(1)(b) of the Regulations.
2. Transmitters must conform to operational technical specifications equal to or better than those notified to and favourably co-ordinated with the ITU-R Radiocommunication Bureau in accordance with Article 11 of the International Radio Regulations.
3. Frequency use is on a shared basis and the chief executive does not accept liability under any circumstances for any loss or damage of any kind occasioned by the unavailability of frequencies, or interference to reception.
4. Should interference occur to services licensed pursuant to a radio licence or a spectrum licence, the chief executive reserves the right to require and ensure that any transmissions pursuant to this General User Radio Licence change frequency, reduce power, or cease operation.

7. Consequential revocation of licence—(1) The Radiocommunications Regulations (General User Radio Licence for Satellite Services) Notice 2016, dated 27 September 2016 and published in the New Zealand Gazette, 29 September 2016, Issue No. 86, Notice No. 2016-go5552, is revoked.

(2) Notwithstanding the revocation of the notice under subsection (1), every transmitter capable of making transmissions compliant with the requirements of that notice on the commencement date of this notice is deemed to be compliant with the requirements of this notice.

Dated at Wellington this Tuesday the 6th day of June 2017.

SIEGMUND JAMES WIESER, Acting Licensing Manager, Radio Spectrum Management, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

Explanatory note

This note is not part of the notice, but is intended to indicate its general effect.

This notice:

• Reinstates the provision for Mobile Satellite Service in the frequency range 148 – 150.05 MHz based on up-to-date information provided by the relevant operators;
• permits 20 MHz emission bandwidth to address the increase in demand for wider bandwidth from satellite operators; and
• provides clarity for the frequency range 29.5 – 30 GHz in order to reflect the application of this provision on Earth Station in-motion (ESIM) in conjunction with the same frequency range as permitted in General User Radio Licence for Aeronautical Purposes and General User Radio Licence for Maritime Purposes.

Persons intending to operate transmitters pursuant to this licence should familiarise themselves with the National Environmental Standards for Telecommunication Facilities issued under the Resource Management Act 1991 in regard to the effects of radiofrequency radiation.