Default synchronisation and frame structure for 3.3-3.8 GHz mobile broadband use
Jonathan Brewer made this Official Information request to Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
The request was refused by Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment.
      From: Jonathan Brewer
      
    
    Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,
Radio Spectrum Management's 15 December 2021 presentation "Technical Working Group on 3.3-3.8 GHz" describes two options for harmonisation of synchronisation and frame structures across the 3.3-3.8 GHz frequency band.
Option A is described as limiting cell sizes to a radius of ~9 km, and Option B is described as allowing for cell radius up to ~14.5 km, and the potential for co-existence between 4G and 5G services.
Please release any and all emails, documents, research, and presentations to cabinet that discuss the topic and how choices could impact the availability of high speed broadband for rural and remote users.
Additionally please advise:
1.) Have rural stakeholders been engaged to discuss technical choices that could limit the use of the frequency band to either ~9 or ~14.5 km from a tower? If so, how has this engagement process been run, and what feedback has been received in response?
2.) Has the Commerce Commission been consulted on the potential for a reduction in competition in the rural services market should a technical choice restrict the availability of equipment or result in economically untenable situation for rural and remote providers?
Yours faithfully,
Jonathan Brewer
        From: Ministerial Services
        Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
      
    
    Ref: 2122-2119
Dear Jonathan Brewer,
On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
 acknowledge your email of 9 May 2022 requesting under the Official
 Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:
“Radio Spectrum Management's 15 December 2021 presentation "Technical
 Working Group on 3.3-3.8 GHz" describes two options for harmonisation of
 synchronisation and frame structures across the 3.3-3.8 GHz frequency
 band.
 
Option A is described as limiting cell sizes to a radius of ~9 km, and
 Option B is described as allowing for cell radius up to ~14.5 km, and the
 potential for co-existence between 4G and 5G services.
 
Please release any and all emails, documents, research, and presentations
 to cabinet that discuss the topic and how choices could impact the
 availability of high speed broadband for rural and remote users.
 
Additionally please advise:
 
1.) Have rural stakeholders been engaged to discuss technical choices that
 could limit the use of the frequency band to either ~9 or ~14.5 km from a
 tower? If so, how has this engagement process been run, and what feedback
 has been received in response?
2.) Has the Commerce Commission been consulted on the potential for a
 reduction in competition in the rural services market should a technical
 choice restrict the availability of equipment or result in economically
 untenable situation for rural and remote providers?”
Your request is being processed in accordance with the Act and a response
 will be sent to you in due course.
If you have any enquiries regarding your request, or its urgency, feel
 free to contact us via email at [1][MBIE request email].
Nâku noa, nâ
Ministerial Services
Ngâ Pou o te Taumaru
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Level 4, 15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140
NZBN 9429000106078
 
[2]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
 services
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References
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 1. mailto:[MBIE request email]
	mailto:[MBIE request email]
 2. http://www.govt.nz/
        From: BRM Ministerial Services
        Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
      
    
    Kia ora Mr Brewer
Thank you for your OIA request of 9 May 2022.
We have not identified any information provided to Cabinet that mentions the two options outlined in the presentation to the Technical Working Group that you have referred to. However we have identified a Cabinet paper called "Allocation of 3.5 GHz spectrum to support the rollout of 5G and the advancement of rural connectivity" which we believe may be of interest to you based on your email. 
The Ministry is enquiring whether you would like to change the scope of your request to be for this Cabinet paper instead?
Please note that if you agree to this change, it is likely that a transfer to the Minister of Digital Economy and Communications may be necessary as the proper decision-maker on this material.
Alternatively, we would be grateful for any further guidance on the information you are requesting. 
Ngā mihi
Melanie 
Senior Ministerial Advisor
Building Resources and Markets
Hīkina Whakatutuki - Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Poutāpeta – Postal : PO Box 1473| Te Whanganui-a-Tara - Wellington 6011 |
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      From: Jonathan Brewer
      
    
    Dear BRM Ministerial Services,
Thank you for your email. By responding in the negative we can establish that cabinet was not briefed on the matters covered by the technical working group.
I would like to revise the request as suggested. Please release a copy of the cabinet paper "Allocation of 3.5 GHz spectrum to support the rollout of 5G and the advancement of rural connectivity".
Yours sincerely,
Jonathan Brewer
        From: BRM Ministerial Services
        Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
      
    
    Dear Mr Brewer
 
Please find a letter attached regarding your recent OIA request.
 
 
Ngā mihi
Melanie
 
 
Senior Ministerial Advisor
Building, Resources and Markets
 
[1]Description: cid:image001.jpg@01CE732A.1A2F9630
 
[2]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
 services
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References
Visible links
 2. http://www.govt.nz/
      From: Jonathan Brewer
      
    
    Dear BRM Ministerial Services,
My OIA request on the 9th of May requested emails, documents, research, and presentations to cabinet that discuss the technical topic and how choices could impact the availability of high speed broadband for rural and remote users.
Your response touched on one part of this request, mentioning a cabinet paper held by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Communications. I agreed to allow you to transfer the request for that material to another ministry.
I am still waiting for the emails, documents, and research held by MBIE that discuss the topic and expect MBIE to supply these as part of the 9th of May OIA request. I am happy to fund the work required to release these documents if required.
Yours sincerely,
Jonathan Brewer
        From: BRM Ministerial Services
        Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
      
    
    Dear Mr Brewer
 
Please find a letter attached regarding your recent OIA request.
 
 
Ngā mihi
Melanie
 
 
Senior Ministerial Advisor
Building, Resources and Markets
 
[1]Description: cid:image001.jpg@01CE732A.1A2F9630
 
[2]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
 services
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 2. http://www.govt.nz/
        From: Hon Dr David Clark
      
    
    Kia ora Jonathan,
 
Please find attached a response to your OIA request from Hon Dr David
 Clark.
 
Kind regards,
 
[1]cid:image001.jpg@01D433B3.8E157340 Office of Hon
 Dr David Clark
Minister of
 Commerce and
 Consumer
 Affairs
Minister for
 the Digital
 Economy and
 Communications
Minister for
 State Owned
 Enterprises
Minister of
 Statistics
Minister
 Responsible
 for the
 Earthquake
 Commission
 
 
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References
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        From: BRM Ministerial Services
        Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
      
    
    Dear Mr Brewer
 
Please find attached a letter and documents in response to your recent OIA
 request.
 
 
Ngā mihi
Melanie
 
 
Senior Ministerial Advisor
Building, Resources and Markets
 
[1]Description: cid:image001.jpg@01CE732A.1A2F9630
 
[2]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
 services
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References
Visible links
 2. http://www.govt.nz/
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