Not feeling well [medical equipment spectrum allocation

Abstract

The article discusses how Europe could learn from the US when it comes to wireless medical equipment. The distributed management of the frequency spectrum in Europe is negatively affecting the region, making decision-making processes lengthy and difficult. In the medical equipment arena, where the unlicensed ISM bands are not exclusive, this is beginning seriously to impede progress. In contrast, the US decided to allocate dedicated frequencies for healthcare applications, a process that led to the introduction of what is now known as the wireless medical telemetry service (WMTS). The FCC set aside the 608-614 MHz,1395-1400 MHz and 1429-1432 MHz frequency bands for WMTS. Usage is limited to authorised healthcare providers and is regulated, to facilitate sharing of the spectrum and to help prevent interference among users. WMTS does not extend to prescribing data modulation schemes, communication protocols, etc. This has proved beneficial for the medical equipment industry, as it is allowing OEMs to optimise the data communications schemes for the particular application in hand (for example in cardiac monitoring devices). It also allows medical OEMs to make use of existing technology and components (e.g. DECT baseband processors) to speed the development of next-generation equipment.