EC Urged to Make Spectrum Available Before DTV Switchover
The EC should free up spectrum for mobile multimedia broadcasting before the digital switchover, industry players told the EC’s Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG). There’s growing evidence that consumers want mobile TV services now, they said in comments made public Tues. Several also urged the RSPG not to recommend reserving spectrum for particular services.
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The policy group -- completing an opinion for the EC on how to help introduce multimedia services in Europe -- sought comments in May on its draft recommendations. These include: (1) Investigating the use of frequency bands now allocated to broadcasting (1452-1492 MHz, the L Band) as a way of launching mobile multimedia services more quickly. (2) Considering the allocation of other bands to such services (2 GHz and 2.5 GHz, VHF, now used for 3G wireless communications, and 1980-2010 and 2170-2200, used for satellite services). (3) Allocation of a minimum amount of spectrum in the 470-862 MHz (UHF) band for provision of mobile multimedia services as permitted by market conditions and analog switchoff.
Wherever possible, spectrum in the UHF band should be released for mobile multimedia broadcast networks before digital switchover, said Intel, GSM Europe, the UMTS Forum and the European Information, Communications & Consumer Electronics Technology Industry Assns. (EICTA). EICTA, Intel and Cisco urged the RSPG not to encourage reserving spectrum for specific services after switchover, saying the EU’s new spectrum management approach, based on technology and service neutrality, should apply to the “digital dividend” of frequencies made available by the transition.
Others disagreed, saying frequency bands already used for broadcasting should be locked in. “Beyond the regulatory, economic, technological and indeed competition considerations, the most crucial roadblock for private and commercial radio broadcasters concerns access to spectrum for digital broadcasting,” said the Assn. of European Radios. It urged the EC to guarantee availability of spectrum for digital broadcasters in the UHF and L Band ranges.
Significant amounts of spectrum, particularly in the 470-862 MHz range, are needed and used daily to make program content in areas such electronic newsgathering, education, film and concert production and local govt., said the British Entertainment Industry Radio Group. “Please be aware of how the content that we all watch, listen to and consume is brought to our eyes and ears,” the organization said. “There is a balance to be struck between content production and delivery to citizen consumers.”
Microsoft complained that while the RSPG “rightly” noted the importance of mobile TV technology and the availability of complementary offerings using 3G wireless communications, its draft is “silent on the equally important development of wireless broadband.” Those services are key candidates for a share of the digital dividend through low-power, license- exempt uses, Microsoft said. It urged the RSPG opinion to “note that license-exemption is the preferred policy choice in Europe where it is feasible,” and to recommend that the EC study the potential benefits of license-exempt multimedia services running in the TV broadcast bands.