Satdude
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UK Freeview 'could be jeopardised'
The UK’s Freeview digital-terrestrial TV system could be jeopardised by Ofcom plans, says the Digital Television Group (DTG).
UK regulator Ofcom, in essence, wants to empty a currently-broadcasting multiplex, shuffle the occupants onto other frequencies and re-use the capacity – perhaps – for simulcast HDTV channels in MPEG4. On the other hand, says Ofcom, it might need the cleared frequencies for new non-HDTV channels in MPEG4.
Helped by such clarity it isn’t a surprise that lobby group DTG has issued some strong words onto Ofcom’s in-tray. “We welcome Ofcom’s initial proposals for a possible UK terrestrial HDTV service. However, regrettably, we do not consider that they will lead to a successful long-term FTA HD platform in the UK. They may, left unmodified, jeopardise the future universality and competitive attractiveness of the main Public Sector Broadcasting services.”
The DTG also sensibly calls for the allocation of a slice of temporary bandwidth following on from the switch-off of analogue TV, to make the MPEG4 shuffle easier to manage. At the end of the “lend lease” exercise the capacity could then be sold off, probably to the cellular industry. “This provides channel critical mass and spectrum swap space to facilitate a coherent consumer crossover,” says the DTG’s submission to Ofcom. “Without this we do not see any realistic economic incentives for broadcasters, consumers and industry to invest in future DTT transmission technologies such as DVB-T2. A ‘lend-lease’ arrangement of this nature would facilitate significant spectrum recovery following a successful UK transition to DVB-T2.”
Regards Satdude.
The UK’s Freeview digital-terrestrial TV system could be jeopardised by Ofcom plans, says the Digital Television Group (DTG).
UK regulator Ofcom, in essence, wants to empty a currently-broadcasting multiplex, shuffle the occupants onto other frequencies and re-use the capacity – perhaps – for simulcast HDTV channels in MPEG4. On the other hand, says Ofcom, it might need the cleared frequencies for new non-HDTV channels in MPEG4.
Helped by such clarity it isn’t a surprise that lobby group DTG has issued some strong words onto Ofcom’s in-tray. “We welcome Ofcom’s initial proposals for a possible UK terrestrial HDTV service. However, regrettably, we do not consider that they will lead to a successful long-term FTA HD platform in the UK. They may, left unmodified, jeopardise the future universality and competitive attractiveness of the main Public Sector Broadcasting services.”
The DTG also sensibly calls for the allocation of a slice of temporary bandwidth following on from the switch-off of analogue TV, to make the MPEG4 shuffle easier to manage. At the end of the “lend lease” exercise the capacity could then be sold off, probably to the cellular industry. “This provides channel critical mass and spectrum swap space to facilitate a coherent consumer crossover,” says the DTG’s submission to Ofcom. “Without this we do not see any realistic economic incentives for broadcasters, consumers and industry to invest in future DTT transmission technologies such as DVB-T2. A ‘lend-lease’ arrangement of this nature would facilitate significant spectrum recovery following a successful UK transition to DVB-T2.”
Regards Satdude.