June 1, 2020 Appeal for Opinions on Draft Ministerial Ordinance and Pertinent Conditions for Partial Revisions to Regulations for Procedures for Obtaining a Radio Station License

  The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) drafted a Ministerial Ordinance and pertinent conditions for partial revisions to the Regulations for Procedures for Obtaining a Radio Station License. These revisions will achieve the wide-area coverage of fifth-generation mobile communication systems (5G) and accelerate the utilization of 5G in various industries.
  Accordingly, MIC has decided to make an appeal for opinions on the drafted revisions from Tuesday, June 2 through Wednesday, July 1, 2020.

1. Background

Fourth-generation mobile communications systems (4G) and broadband wireless access systems (BWA) use frequencies lower than those assigned in April 2019 to 5G, and there has been an increasing need to use these frequencies for 5G and BWA compatible with 5G to build wide 5G areas for securing mobility.
Against this background, the Information and Communications Council started deliberating on 5G to formulate technical conditions for introducing 5G to the current frequency bands of 4G, along with technical conditions for introducing BWA systems compatible with 5G. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications received a partial report on Tuesday, March 31, 2020, from the Information and Communications Council. Accordingly, MIC is currently in the process of institutional development for formulating technical standards based on the report.
It will be possible to introduce 5G to the 4G frequency band with the development of the technical standards. However, MIC Notice No. 513 of 2011 (Matters that stipulate guidelines for opening specific base stations for the spread of 3.9th generation mobile communications systems) and No. 34 of 2018 (Matters that stipulate guidelines for opening specific base stations for the spread of fourth-generation mobile communications systems), which currently apply to the authorization of opening plans, assume the opening of 4G base stations. Therefore, MIC has the Ministerial Ordinance and pertinent conditions for significant institutional development for opening plan changes to 5G to the 4G frequency band.

2. Procedure of appeal for opinions

1. Subjects

〈Draft ministerial ordinance〉

• 1.
  Draft Ministerial Ordinance for the partial revision of the Regulations for Procedure for Obtaining a Radio Station License (Radio Regulatory Commission Rules No. 15 of 1950)

〈Draft notices〉

• 2.
  Draft notice for the partial revision of MIC Notice No. 513 of 2011 (Matters that stipulate guidelines for opening specific base stations for the spread of 3.9th generation mobile communications systems)
• 3.
  Draft notice for the partial revision of MIC Notice No. 34 of 2018 (Matters that stipulate guidelines for opening specific base stations for the spread of fourth-generation mobile communications systems)

〈Draft official directive〉

• 4.
  Examination Standards related to the Radio Act (Official Directive of MIC No. 67 of 2001)

2. Submission period

From Tuesday, June 2 and no later than Wednesday, July 1, 2020

3. Future plans

With consideration of the result of submitted opinions, MIC will consult the Radio Regulatory Council and promptly proceed with necessary procedures for the revision of the ministerial ordinance etc. based on a report from the Radio Regulatory Council.