The United Kingdom’s Office of Communications (Ofcom) has released proposals designed to accelerate the clearance of 700 megahertz spectrum and to make it available by mid-2020, 18 months earlier than originally planned. In a consultation document, Ofcom said its plan would include changing the frequencies used by some temporary digital terrestrial television services, which operate in the 550-606 MHz band.  At issue are some additional DTT services referred to as “interim multiplexes” that are offered beyond the main national channels, which operate in the 600 MHz band.  Moving those services to alternative frequencies starting at the end of 2017 would enable the main national DTT frequencies to be changed earlier than originally planned, Ofcom said. 

The change would increase the benefit of the 700 MHz clearance program but would require changes to the transmission architecture used to broadcast the interim multiplexes and would require some wireless microphone users to change equipment, Ofcom said.  In addition, a “very small proportion” of digital TV viewers would have to retune their roof aerials as a result of clearance earlier than originally expected, a change that Ofcom said was not “likely to be material to viewers.”

“Our provisional view is that the benefits of accelerating the programme in the manner set out above would outweigh the costs,” Ofcom said.

Ofcom also proposed to allocate the “centre gap” in the 700 MHz band —a 25 MHz segment between the parts of the band designated for uplink and downlink communications — for mobile data. “Making additional mobile spectrum available will allow MNOs [mobile network operators] to meet growth in demand for mobile data more cost effectively than they otherwise would have and will also allow them to increase network speeds more cheaply,” Ofcom said.  It added that “recent market benchmarks suggest” the benefits of making the center gap available for mobile data would be “well in excess of 100m pounds [$144 million U.S.] over 20 years.

Responses to the consultation are due May 20.

Separately, Ofcom issued an updated code of practice on the management of transitional issues during the preparation for the clearance of the 700 MHz band.  The updated code is designed to ensure broadcasters and transmission companies make “clear arrangements to keep any potential disruption to viewers and listeners to a minimum during the transition stage of 700MHz clearance,” Ofcom said. – Brian Hammond, brian.hammond@wolterskluwer.com

Courtesy TRDaily