RRAC (01)19

Some Aspects Related to the ISM1 Band, especially Medical

Please note that the views expressed are those of the author alone. I am grateful,
however, to Chris Carey of the RA for providing some of the material used.
- D S James
1. Introduction
This brief document aims to introduce the use of the ISM bands in the UK and
internationally, and makes suggestions for some studies that would appear desirable in
the light of present trends, especially for medical applications..
In the UK the equipment designated to operate in ISM bands has many different
applications and although it is generally for licence exempt use, there are some licensed
users. ISM equipments operate on a non-interference basis to other services.
2. Definition
The Radio Regulations provides the following definition:
S1.15
industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) applications (of radio
frequency energy): Operation of equipment or appliances designed to generate
and use locally radio frequency energy for industrial, scientific, medical, domestic
or similar purposes, excluding applications in the field of telecommunications.
Attention is drawn here to the exclusion phrase at the end.
3. Frequency bands
The seminal Radio Regulations footnote here is S5.150 which states, implicitly across all
Regions:
S5.150

The following bands:

13.553 13.567 kHz
26.957 27.283 kHz
40.66 40.70 MHz
902 928 MHz

(centre frequency 13.560 kHz),

(centre frequency 27.120 kHz),
(centre frequency 40.68 MHz),
in Region 2 (centre frequency 915

MHz),
2 400 2 500 MHz
(centre frequency 2450 MHz),
5 725 5 875 MHz
(centre frequency 5 800 MHz), and
24 24.25 GHz
(centre frequency 24.125 GHz)
are also designated for industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) applications.
Radiocommunication services operating within these bands must accept harmful
interference which may be caused by these applications. ISM equipment
operating in these bands is subject to the provisions of No. S15.13.
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Industrial, Scientific and Medial = ISM

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The second (earlier) footnote, S5.138, defines further bands with less favourable
conditions:
S5.138

The following bands:

6 765-6 795 kHz
433.05-434.79 MHz

(centre frequency 6 780 kHz),

(centre frequency 433.92 MHz) in
Region 1 except in the countries
mentioned in No.
S5.280,
61-61.5 GHz
(centre frequency 61.25 GHz),
122-123 GHz
(centre frequency 122.5 GHz), and
244-246 GHz
(centre frequency 245 GHz)
are designated for industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) applications. The use of
these frequency bands for ISM applications shall be subject to special
authorization by the administration concerned, in agreement with other
administrations whose radiocommunication services might be affected. In
applying this provision, administrations shall have due regard to the latest relevant
ITU-R Recommendations.
For completeness, S15.13 referenced in the first one, is as follows:
S15.13
9
Administrations shall take all practicable and necessary
steps to ensure that radiation from equipment used for industrial, scientific and
medical applications is minimal and that, outside the bands designated for use by
this equipment, radiation from such equipment is at a level that does not cause
harmful interference to a radiocommunication service and , in particular, to a
radionavigation or any other safety service operating in accordance with the
provisions of these Regulations.
And S5.280 referenced in the second one above, is as follows:
S5. 280
In Germany, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Liechtenstein, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland
and Yugoslavia, the band 433.05 434.79 MHz (centre frequency 434.92 MHz) is
designated for industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) applications.
Radiocommunication services of these countries operating within this band must
accept harmful interference which may be caused by these applications. ISM
equipment operating in this band is subject to the provision of No. S15.13.
As ever with the Radio regulations, the devil is in the detail. Examination of the
Regulations quickly reveals that ISM designations are far from exclusive, certainly far
from the desirable situation (from that communitys viewpoint) wherein designation,
allotment and assignment coalesce.

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4. Usage of bands, equipment standards

Currently the heaviest used ISM band appears to be the 2.4 GHz band and the majority of
equipment is license exempt. It is worth noting that this ISM band includes use by
Short Range Devices (SRD)2, Bluetooth, and use by the Military (MOD) in the UK.
Engineering Outside Broadcast (ENG/OB) and some Public Network Operators in this
band require a license.
The 433 MHz is not an ISM band in the UK. The radio amateur usage which crosses this
band is subject to license in the UK.
The majority of equipment is covered by standards such as CISPER 11 and ETSI EN 550
11.
For the lower ISM frequencies, some equipment for medical use is covered by the UKs
Performance Specification W 68023
The 5 725 5 875 MHz ISM band is increasingly being targeted for5 much wider use by
SRD, and this now includes both private and public applications, an area presently
fraught with national and regional regulatory concerns. Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)
applications are also receiving attention for this band, and indeed many systems are being
fielded around the world already within the 2.4 GHz ISM band. To date there seems to be
little concern expressed for either of these bands in respect to possible compatibility
issues relating to more extensive use of these ISM bands for radiocommunication
services. There is considerable debate, especially within CEPT and in N America, in
respect to revisions to the power levels allowable in the 5.8 GHz band, and for the
emission masks.
5. Possible extension, especially for medical ISM applications
In addition to the established usage of the ISM bands for such operations as industrial
drying, domestic cooking, SRDs over a wide variety of industries, vacuum (plasma)
processing and similar, one area that is receiving considerable attention in the medical
area and which is not for reporting/tele-command etc. but rather for certain types of
surgery. Plasmakinetic procedures are minimally invasive and can offer significant
advantages over conventional, invasive surgical intervention regimes. This are is
growing, and in fact the UK has a global lead in this field.

This is a general term, which is applied to various radio devices designated to operate over short ranges and at low
power levels. This includes alarms, telemetry and tele-command devices, radio microphones, radio local area networks
and anti-theft devices with maximum powers ranging up to 500 milliwatt at VHF/UHF as well as certain microwave/doppler devices with maximum powers of up to 5 Watts.
See Radiocommunications Agency Information sheet RA 114 (Rev 8), October 2000: Short Range Devices
Information Sheet.
3

Radiocommunications Agency Performance Specification W 6802, Radio equipment for medical and
biological telemetry devices for class 1 devices in the frequency band 300 kHz to 30 MHz, August 1967
(Revised and reprinted June 1996)
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Examination of the ISM bands available shows a considerable gap between the 5 and 24
GHz areas. Further, for the reasons touched upon above, there are understandable but
worrisome (from ISM viewpoint) developments internationally in respect to the 5 GHz
area. Clearly it is desirable to encourage equitable usage for as many services as
possible, including FS and MS4. From a general cost and availability viewpoint the 2- 20
GHz area holds considerable advantage over higher frequencies. From a
biological/medical point of view there is a very significant difference between tissue
behaviour and consequent therapeutic measures which may be possible, when
considering frequencies over such a range. Indeed it would appear that another band
between 5 and 24 GHz could be beneficial. It is possible that use could also be better
made of frequency diversity for such applications, where today it is difficult with the set
of ISM bands available.
5. Conclusion
It would seem desirable for some preliminary studies to be undertaken which take
account:
- the rapidly growing use of the 2.4 and 5.8 GHz ISM bands for non-ISM
radiocommunication applications on an unlicensed or license-exempt basis
- the evolving usage of SRDs of all types in such bands
- the economies and availability advantages evident as a result of such parallel
commercial developments, to the advantage of at least one part of the ISM community
- the possibility of identifying another band around 9 or 10 GHz for potential use for
medical therapeutic usage. It is suggested that a band used for volume radars might be
appropriate.

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Indeed there is WRC-03 work underway to belatedly provide a better regulatory framework for RLANs
especially in relation to the 5 GHz area.
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