Author: Joe Preishuber-Pflügl, Head of Regulatory Affairs, RAIN Alliance

What is radio spectrum, and why does power matter?

Radio spectrum is the range of electromagnetic frequencies used to transmit information wirelessly. Every wireless technology — Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, mobile networks, and RAIN RFID — occupies a portion of this spectrum. The frequencies a technology uses determine how far its signals travel, how well they penetrate materials, and how much data they can carry. Power levels shape the effective range and reliability of those signals within a given frequency band.

For RAIN RFID, the relevant spectrum sits in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) range between 860 and 930 MHz. Within that range, different countries and regions have allocated specific sub-bands for RAIN technology use, each with its own permitted power levels and rules for how devices share the channels. Understanding those allocations and the differences between them is essential for anyone designing, deploying, or sourcing RAIN RFID systems across multiple markets.

The RAIN Alliance has published a new Global Radio Spectrum Allocations reference chart, a single-page visual summary of every major RAIN RFID frequency allocation worldwide, with power levels, channel access methods, and current regulatory status.

Why spectrum is critical to RAIN RFID

For any wireless technology, spectrum is existential. Without it, the technology cannot operate. RAIN RFID is no different.

RAIN technology typically operates in unlicensed spectrum, which means organisations can deploy RAIN systems without obtaining individual frequency licenses. That lowers the barrier to adoption, reduces cost, and enables rapid deployment at scale. The 43 billion RAIN tags shipped globally in 2025, with 115 billion projected by 2028, reflect what becomes possible when spectrum access is straightforward and predictable.

That openness is one of RAIN RFID’s great strengths, and it comes with an important responsibility. The frequencies RAIN technology depends on are shared with other technologies and other users. As one of several unlicensed users operating in freely accessible spectrum, the RAIN industry needs active, expert engagement with spectrum policy to keep the operating environment stable, predictable, and aligned with the needs of a growing global industry. That engagement is exactly what the RAIN Alliance Radio Regulations Advisory Council (RRAC) provides.

Radio spectrum is a finite resource, shared by many technologies. Using it responsibly by keeping transmit power and on-time (duty cycle) as low as possible, helps ensure seamless and reliable use of the radio spectrum for everyone.

The work of the RRAC: shaping regulations that work for RAIN technology

The RAIN Alliance Radio Regulations Advisory Council (RRAC) works to ensure that changes in radio spectrum regulations and test methods around the world fit RAIN technology well, and that the RF spectrum can be used smoothly and reliably by RAIN deployments everywhere.

That means engaging with national telecommunications authorities, government ministries and standards bodies to make sure that when radio spectrum regulations are updated, the technical characteristics of RAIN technology are well understood and well represented. And it means translating the collective expertise and experience of the RAIN industry into technical submissions and direct engagement in regulatory conversations that directly affect the industry’s ability to grow.

The results are visible. Frequency allocations have been secured, extended, and improved across dozens of markets. Test methods have been refined to reflect how RAIN technology operates in real-world conditions. The industry has a clear, authoritative voice in regulatory conversations that directly affect its ability to grow and innovate.

The upper European band: better performance, better global alignment

Much of the RRAC’s recent work has focused on expanding adoption of the upper European frequency band, and the case for doing so is compelling on two distinct grounds: performance and global alignment.

The performance case is grounded in real, measurable improvements that matter to anyone running a RAIN RFID deployment. The upper band (915–921 MHz) delivers up to 40% more read range, roughly double the communication speed in both directions, and significantly less interference in environments where multiple readers operate in close proximity. It also performs more reliably on challenging materials like metals and liquids. For organisations looking to push the boundaries of what their RAIN systems can do, the upper band opens up use cases and deployment densities that simply aren’t as accessible on the lower band.

The alignment case connects the European story to a global one. The 915–921 MHz upper band sits within the global overlap zone, the frequency range shared by the US, Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and Brazil. This overlap is the product of years of international harmonisation work, and it pays real dividends. A tag and reader system designed to operate at 915–921 MHz can be manufactured once and deployed across the majority of global markets without retesting, recertification, or hardware redesign.

When bands differ across markets, equipment must be tested and calibrated separately for each one. Supply chain use cases must be requalified every time a deployment crosses a regulatory boundary. The costs and delays are real. The global overlap zone is one of the most commercially significant features of the RAIN frequency landscape, and expanding it is one of the RAIN Alliance’s most important long-term priorities.

Two years of progress: expanding the upper band across Europe

Regulatory adoption takes time and sustained effort. For each country to make the upper band available, national authorities must implement the EU Decision, publish domestic standards, and in some cases negotiate access with other spectrum users at ministerial level. Country by country, that process calls for patient, expert engagement.

Over the last two years, the RAIN Alliance RRAC has driven significant progress. More than 10 additional EU member states have additionally adopted the upper band, and more than 25 European countries  have additionally made it available for RAIN RFID deployments. For members operating across Europe, this is a meaningful expansion of the high-performance operating environment for their systems allowing nearly a European-wide use.

Work continues in the remaining markets. In Germany and the Netherlands, the 915–921 MHz range is currently reserved for military communications, which calls for engagement at the level of national defence ministries alongside telecommunications regulators. The RAIN Alliance is actively involved in those conversations, with the technical and economic case well-established and well-received. In Sweden, Austria, Belgium, and Greece, the upper band is available with site licences for individual deployments, a workable framework the Alliance continues to work toward simplifying.

Looking forward: India and the global opportunity

Europe is one of several fronts on which spectrum harmonisation work is advancing. India represents one of the most exciting opportunities for the industry’s continued global growth.

India’s current RAIN RFID allocation sits at 865–867 MHz, outside the 915–921 MHz global overlap zone. As one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing economies, with rapidly expanding RFID adoption across manufacturing, logistics, retail, and agriculture, bringing India’s spectrum into alignment with the global overlap zone would be enormously beneficial for the industry on both sides.

The RAIN Alliance has initiated conversations with its members in India to help build the case for globally overlapping spectrum. The benefits are mutual. India’s manufacturers and exporters would gain access to the performance advantages of the upper band and seamless compatibility with global supply chain standards. The global supply chains they supply would gain interoperability without the friction of cross-market retesting.

Why this work requires a community voice

The RRAC’s work is collective by design, and that is the source of its effectiveness.

When the RAIN Alliance engages with a national regulator, it speaks on behalf of an entire ecosystem: tag chip manufacturers, reader vendors, system integrators, software providers, and end users spanning retail, healthcare, logistics, government, and agriculture across dozens of countries. It brings independent technical credibility, deep regulatory expertise, and a track record of constructive engagement that opens doors and builds trust over time.

This ongoing work is done by the Alliance on behalf of the entire industry. It is one of the most important services the RAIN Alliance provides, and one of the clearest expressions of what a membership community makes possible. The work ensures that changes in radio regulations and test methods have the best fit for RAIN technology, and that the RF spectrum can be used smoothly and confidently by RAIN deployments around the world.

Get involved

RAIN Alliance members are encouraged to participate actively in the RRAC. If your organisation has insights into regulatory developments in your market, or sees spectrum opportunities worth pursuing, the Alliance would like to work with you to explore them.

Visit the RAIN Alliance Radio Regulations Advisory Council: therainalliance.org/radio-regulations-advisory-council

If you’re not yet a member, the RRAC’s work benefits every organisation that deploys RAIN technology. Join the community that makes it possible: therainalliance.org/join-the-rain-alliance