Ofcom extends RFID frequencies
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Deregulation of RFID possible.
11 August 2005 The UK's communication regulator, Ofcom, is to relax radio frequency spectrum regulations to meet business demand for tracking technologies.
Ofcom has announced it will make additional spectrum available for use by radio frequency identification (RFID) equipment, following pressure from business groups.
Additional spectrum will be made available in the 865-868MHz band and RFID technology within this band will be exempt from licenses under the Wireless Telegraphy Act.
Retailers such as Tesco and Wal Mart are using RFID technology to make supply chains more efficient, and the use of the chips is predicted to grow dramatically.
The worldwide market for will be worth $2 billion by 2008 according to analyst house IDC.
RFID uses radio waves to automatically store and remotely retrieve data from RFID tags or transponders. There use includes tracking movement of goods in the supply chain, building access control, long range access control for vehicles, pallet tracking or even animal identification.
But, some pressure groups are concerned about privacy, especially where tags are imbedded and left in items such as clothing.
The UK's Information Commissioner said in a statement that RFID will only be subject to the Data Protection Act where personal information is collected, generated or stored.
"RFID tags may be used in circumstances where the Data Protection Act 1998 is unlikely to apply at all - for example, in monitoring distribution of pallets of goods from warehouse to stores. Even where personal information is involved it is perfectly possible to comply with the Act."
