Ofcom - radio frequency update

[GreatBigHippy]

Just being reading this article on the register.

 

Looks like we'll be left on tenterhooks (sp?) until 2009. And even then it looks like they really just want the whole thing to disappear rather than lose out on a few million from the great frequency yard sale.

 

Of course I could make a killing if only I had the money to buy up a portion of the spectrum... Anyone want to chuck a fiver into the pot?

 

theHippy

 

 

Mods: I tried to find the old topic to continue it but still haven't got the search to find anything relevant! Feel free to move this if you think it is required.

[Andrew C]

And a bit more from El Reg:-

 

It seems unlikely there'll be enough frequencies to go round, and in the hope of more efficient use Ofcom intends to mandate digital walkie-talkies, and is asking if anyone thinks 2012 is too soon to start mandating digital wireless microphones too. It has also commissioned research into using much higher frequencies (up to 300GHz) for short-range wireless applications.

 

Read more here on OFCOM Olympic planning.

[Solstace]

Well I can't say I'm at all surprised or impressed. On one hand I do resent the fact that change is necessary, especially when most of the reasons given seem to boil down to money. On the other, as a relative ignoramus I still don't think we're making best use either of the technology or radio space available.

 

So as engineers I think our challenge is to embrace the changes and to work out ways of overcoming the limitations presented. My question is: Are Ofcom going to keep us guessing for another coule of years, or are they going to put a stake in the ground for us all to see and work to?

[boswell]

IMHO I think Ofcomm have been charged with raising the maximum amout of cash to bail out the goverment, they don't seem to be looking any further ahead than 2012. As long as the games go OK, they are not interested in what happens after that.

cynic mode off/

[Big Dave]

AN update from OFCOM Here

 

It looks like were getting somewhere

[boswell]

Update from JMFG

 

http://www.jfmg.co.uk/jfmgecom/jfmg_conten...ew/whatsnew.htm

[Simon Lewis]

So....

 

"The exception to our market led approach is for PMSE, which already uses interleaved spectrum on a large scale. This is an extremely diverse community, and we do not think it would be able to take part effectively in an auction, creating a serious risk of market failure. We will therefore hold a beauty contest to award a package of interleaved spectrum to meet PMSE users’ needs"

 

"We have decided to reserve most of the available interleaved spectrum to meet the needs of PMSE users"

 

"We will award a single package of interleaved spectrum to a licensee that will act as a band manager. To help PMSE users with the transition to market mechanisms, we will use criteria designed to ensure that the band manager’s interests are aligned with those of PMSE users"

 

perhaps most importantly...

 

"We have decided that channel 69 should continue to be available for PMSE use throughout the UK on a licensed basis. We will also promote greater licence exempt use of channel 70 for PMSE, in the interests of community users" (emphasis mine)

[dosxuk]

Seems like a rare outbreak of common sense at OFCOM towers...

 

Wonder if JFMG will bid for the frequency management role?

[Shez]

Can anyone decode what they're planning on doing with ch. 63 - 68? If my (skim) reading of the full document is correct, we stand to lose that, which will be a problem... Most kit will only switch over a range of 3 - 4 channels and that should really include ch.69, which means an end to being able to spread down in to 68, 67 etc. if you've used all the options in 69. :down:

[boswell]

If I read it right, we will lose channels 61-68 inclusive and also Ch 31-40

We can use white space in Ch21-30 and 41-60.

Definitions of white space will come later!!!

Ch 69 will be OK but might become fully licensed, its not clear on that point

[kerry davies]

Hazard Warning: I know little about the technical details but....

 

"Ofcom are now busy calculating the amount of ‘digital interleaved’ spectrum that will actually be available but one thing is almost certain, channel 69 will be the only nationally available channel. The next best thing we can hope for is a nationally available group of concurrent channels so that single transmitters only need to tune across a narrow range"

Email from PSA Towers.

 

The terms of the "beauty contest" seem sensible, though with some nitpicking to be done particularly on definitions such as the word "reasonable", and this is a long way from where they were.

"The band manager will pay a charge for the spectrum based on Administered Incentive Pricing (AIP) and will be able to earn revenue by charging its customers for access. But regulation will ensure that it has to meet reasonable demand from PMSE users on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms."

Thus it won't be just based on how much any "band manager" offers for the spectrum but how they will manage access to that spectrum.

 

My own concerns about the cost effects to community users seem to have been addressed since January's PSA AGM when OFCOM were adamant that it would be an open auction in which our industry could not possibly have competed.

God Bless BEIRG, PSA etc etc for the lobbying work. Another reason for BR members to get involved, a consultation that actually listened.

[Bobbsy]

Even now, Channel 69 is the only channel available nationally for radio mic/IEM use. Well, that, and the small, unlicensed chunk of Channel 70. All the other channels from 21 through 68 are used for television in various parts of the UK. You can see which channels are in use in which parts of the UK by clicking on the desired frequency on THIS MAP. The ability to license "spare" channels is determined by JFMG who do calculations to make sure you won't interfere with TV reception in the area where you'll be working. A radio mic operating at 10mW (or even 50mW) isn't going to interfere with with TV in a town 50 miles away...but you couldn't locate high power TV transmitters that close together. If you look at the map I linked to, you'll see there are chunks of the UK where chunks of 61-68 are not available even now.

 

(The one exception to the above is channel 36 which is presently being used for aviation radar but which will be auctioned along with the digital dividend.)

 

It seems to me that how much "interleaved bandwidth" is eventually available will depend on the type of user that wins the auction. Widely spaced, high powered transmitters (like we have with TV) will be easy to work with; a user with needs like mobile phone networks (lots of relatively low powered transmitters all over the place) would be more difficult to co-ordinate with.

 

Bob

[Simon Lewis]

Latest news from Ofcom...

 

Their executive summary states:

 

PMSE is one of the key sectors using interleaved spectrum. It makes a major contribution to the UK’s social, cultural and economic well-being. It comprises a very wide variety of organisations and individuals using spectrum for an equally wide variety of uses. There are many thousands of business and professional users in broadcasting, entertainment and events and many more among charities and community organisations.

 

The purpose of this statement is to help PMSE users understand the pattern of interleaved spectrum after DSO and to describe how we will manage the process of migrating them to new frequencies in interleaved spectrum so that they neither cause interference to, nor suffer interference from, DTT and other uses. We are working on the basis that there should be broadly sufficient capacity in interleaved spectrum after DSO to accommodate existing PMSE use.

 

We will consult on the detailed design of the award of this spectrum as part of our Digital Dividend Review (DDR) during spring 2008.

 

 

Open the document, and look at Figure 1. Channels 38, 69 & 70 are not affected by DSO. Channels 21 - 30, and 41-62 are "subject to change after DSO". Channels 31-37 39-40 and 63 - 68 will "not be available after DSO".

 

Simon

[smalljoshua]

To Just add a bit more to that the Digital Dividend Review says on page 14:

 

wireless microphones for community use, and similar low power devices:

because there are many thousands of small, independent, users in this category,

we propose to make available channel 69 for wireless microphones and similar

low power devices such as in-ear monitors; we also propose to deregulate

access to most or all of this spectrum, by making access free, on demand, to

users, without the need for a licence;

 

wireless microphones for professional use, and similar low power devices:

we recognise the risk of causing disruption to the large community of professional

users of wireless microphones and similar low power devices such as in-ear

monitors and talkback. This equipment is widely used in theatres, broadcasting

and special events; so we will phase in changes to spectrum management here.

The cleared spectrum will cease to be available as DSO occurs region by region

across the country. This will require many users to retune their equipment or

purchase new equipment to make use of different frequencies. However, we will

ensure that spectrum continues to be available for this type of use from the new

capacity that will exist interleaved with the six digital terrestrial multiplexes after

switchover. We will ensure this continued availability for a transitional period,

until at least 2012. We set out in this document different options for how this

capacity could be packaged and released into the market, including by auction.

We will work closely with the user community in developing these proposals and

managing the transition to new arrangements;

 

So it appears that all the equipment for channels 69 and 70 will be able to work licence free and that they are still working frequencies out for the licenced frequency bands.

 

Josh

[Simon Lewis]

Sorry Josh, but you are quoting from a discussion document that's over a year old.

 

There were many reasons why channel 69 shouldn't be licence free, and the present information from JFMG is as follows:

 

Channel 69 (854-862 MHz)

Decision: To continue licensing Channel 69.

To note: The licensing will be taken over by the interleaved spectrum Band Manager in late 2008.

JFMG’s view: This is a good result for the industry, their concerns regarding exempting Ch69 were taken on board and Ofcom’s policy decision reflects this.

 

 

Channel 70 is not affected and remains licence free... (and pretty busy too!)

 

Simon