BEIRG Press Release on Radio Mic Funding

[AndyL]

http://www.beirg.org.uk/images/logo.gif

 

 

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

BEIRG STATEMENT ON FUNDING CONSULTATION

“THOSE WHO DO NOTHING WILL LOSE OUT!”

 

IT IS VITAL THAT ALL PMSE USERS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS CONSULTATION GET INVOLVED AND RESPOND. BEIRG WILL PROVIDE AS MUCH ASSISTANCE AS WE CAN, BUT AT THIS STAGE PMSE EQUIPMENT OWNERS AND USERS NOW HAVE TO GET INVOLVED AND MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD.

 

On 30 June 2009, Ofcom published a statement setting out their decision to clear the entire 800 MHz band. This means that if you have wireless equipment such as radio microphones and/or in-ear monitors which operate in channels 61-69, they will be rendered obsolete by 2012/2013. Enforced eviction of PMSE from the 800 MHz band will therefore result in major cost implications for all those that own affected equipment.

 

Ofcom and the Government agreed to the principle of putting a funding mechanism in place to cover the costs of migration by paying to replace affected equipment. Last week, Ofcom published a consultation – Clearing the 800 MHz band; Funding for programme making and special events - setting out their proposals by which PMSE equipment owners will be eligible for funding, and under what criteria. These criteria fall a long way short of what is required.

 

Owners of ALL PMSE equipment MUST respond to this consultation document if they are to stand any chance of being able to change the limited and narrow nature of the eligibility criteria that Ofcom has set out. The only way that users stand any chance of effecting changes to the current proposals is by speaking up NOW!

 

Ofcom Funding Consultation Document Here;

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/pmse_funding/

 

WHAT OFCOM SAY

Key funding proposals:

 

Who/which equipment will be eligible for funding under the current proposals set out by the consultation?

 

• Equipment hire companies that did not need to be licensed should be eligible for funding, subject to providing clear verifiable evidence that renting, not operating, PMSE equipment is the basis of their operations.

 

• Aside from the exception of rental companies, only those who held a channel 69 license on 2 February 2009 or during the previous 12 months will be eligible, subject to verification by the JFMG licensing database.

 

• Only equipment that was purchased before 2nd February 2009 or was bought between 2nd February 2009 and 30th June 2009 for ‘compelling’ reasons will be eligible with various demanding justifications.

 

• Only equipment that is tuneable to channel 69 will be considered as eligible for funding subject to strict criteria.

 

 

Who/which equipment will NOT be eligible for funding under the current proposals set out by the consultation?

 

• Equipment purchased after 30 June 2009. It is Ofcom’s view that their new ‘bandplan’ for channels 38-40 will mean that nobody will need to buy channel 69 equipment again.

 

• Those who did not have a channel 69 licence on 2nd February or up to 12 months before and had no legitimate reasons for allowing licences to lapse

 

• Equipment that is not tuneable to channel 69 (unless there are ‘compelling reasons’ otherwise). Ofcom’s position is that although equipment that is tuneable to channels 61-68 is being affected (rendered obsolete) by the clearance of the 800 MHz band, only channel 69 gear will be eligible because they believe that they have provided sufficient termination of access notice for channels 61-68.

 

How much will equipment owners be allowed to claim?

 

• Ofcom are proposing that the amounts involved will be based on the residual value of the equipment for the period starting on January 1st 2012 until the end of its ‘useful life’ with the end of 2018 as a cut-off date (Under this proposal, there will be a maximum residual value of any equipment of 7 years). Ofcom’s reasoning for this is that users would not have reasonably expected to be able to use channel 69 after this date.

 

• There are other detailed questions and proposals on methodology of equipment valuation and funding calculation that need to be addressed

 

WHAT BEIRG SAY

While we welcome the fact that Ofcom consider that the PMSE community warrants a 51-page funding consultation document, disappointingly the content falls way short of what BEIRG had been expecting to see. We are effectively being ‘evicted’ from channel 69, along with the rest of the 800 MHz band on very sharp terms. The current proposals relating to funding eligibility and timing of eligibility are in BEIRG’s view totally unacceptable. Owners of licensed equipment that operates on channel 69, and any other equipment that will be affected by the clearance of the 800MHz band, should be compensated in FULL, on a ‘new for old’ basis. This situation has been forced onto the industry, and users should not have to bear any costs associated with being moved to a new home. Indeed the Digital Britain report stated;

 

"The Government is committed to the timely release of 800 spectrum and will work with Ofcom to understand and meet the technical challenges. It has already endorsed Ofcom’s proposal setting out its plans to clear channels 61, 62 and 69. The Government will facilitate this replanning and will meet the costs incurred by broadcasters and PMSE users as a result of these changes."

 

Not some of the costs or a share the costs or a proportion of the costs. Again – ‘The Government will meet the costs incurred by broadcasters and PMSE users.’ And PMSE equipment is in use across frequency channels 61-69 inclusive.

 

All of the work that BEIRG has been doing over the past few years has ensured that the PMSE industry has been recognised, marked out and given ‘special status’. Ofcom has recognised that the diverse and disparate nature of our industry means that we are not capable of competing in a free, open spectrum market. However it now seems that by dropping so many caveats into the funding eligibility criteria, Ofcom and the Government are going to make it extremely difficult for honest, hard-working PMSE users to claim what BEIRG believes they should be morally entitled to. PMSE owners and users should not be forced into increased levels of debt just to stay in business as a result of the 800 MHz clearance plan. New users of the 800 MHz band will have everything to gain while existing users under current proposals will have everything to lose.

 

BEIRG will of course put together a response to this consultation, which we would suggest all PMSE users then utilise as the basis for their own individual responses. Please send an email to alun@ranelagh.info if you wish to receive a copy of the BEIRG response once it is complete.

 

This process that has been forced on us has no benefit to the industry, only cost whereas every other potential user has a new business opportunity to build/grow/improve their busineses.

 

It is imperative that ALL equipment owners that will be affected RESPOND to this consultation. This is the part of the process that we need your help with if we are to stand any chance of getting you what you deserve, not just what they are prepared to offer.

 

BEIRG will also put together a response to this consultation, which we would suggest all PMSE users then utilise as the basis for their own individual responses.

 

If you have any questions about this consultation or any other spectrum related issues then please do one or all of the following:

 

• Join the BEIRG Group on Linkedin (http://www.linkedin.com)

• Join BEIRG if you are not already a member (http://www.beirg.org.uk)

• Contact a BEIRG Steering Group member (details below)

 

BEIRG STEERING GROUP

 

Alan March (07770 336046)

mailto:amarch@sennheiser.co.uk?subject=Funding Consultation

 

Duncan Bell (07973 559645)

mailto:DUNCAN@autograph.co.uk?subject=Funding Consultation

 

Ron Bonner (07710 909308)

mailto:ron@plasa.org?subject=Funding Consultation

 

Tuomo Tolonen (07920 455041)

mailto:Tuomo@shuredistribution.co.uk?subject=Funding Consultation

 

Peter Roberts (07713 643970)

mailto:peter@peter54.orangehome.co.uk?subject=Funding Consultation

 

John Steven (07515 559688)

mailto:johnstevenpr@mac.com?subject=Funding Consultation

 

Editorial Note:

Gentlemen of the press, we need your help and assistance to ram the message home to people. Apathy will get people nowhere. We need your full support on this one please.

[Solstace]

Has anyone actually responded to the consultation document? Having looked into this in more detail this afternoon I'm glad I did. Except that I'm now going to have a heck of a time explaining why I'm slapping an embargo on all new radio set purchases for IEM's or microphones until this whole mess is sorted out.

 

OFCOM now have my £0.02. I just can't believe how badly-handled this appears to be, nor how complicated the bodies are making this. Especially with regards to the funding!

[AndyL]

Has anyone actually responded to the consultation document? Having looked into this in more detail this afternoon I'm glad I did. Except that I'm now going to have a heck of a time explaining why I'm slapping an embargo on all new radio set purchases for IEM's or microphones until this whole mess is sorted out.

 

OFCOM now have my £0.02. I just can't believe how badly-handled this appears to be, nor how complicated the bodies are making this. Especially with regards to the funding!

Hi Chris,

Thank you! :)

 

I do hope you are not alone...

 

Everyone else out there, please let us know when you have responded! Don't leave it to somebody else...

[Ynot]

I've delegated the task of (hopefully) sorting out our angle of attack to one of my regular noise boys (who's also a part-time BBC Radio engineer). Our 14 licensed PMSE mix of G1/G2 Sennheisers, (hopefully plus the old G1 transmitters we 'retired' to backup status as we gradually replace with G2s), should be eligible for something in this little lot, but I've not got the time to plough through myself at this point - hence the delegation...!

[paulears]

Aha, I thought - a not for profit group wanting to fight the cause. Plenty of YOU MUST JOIN, NO APATHY, FIGHT, FIGHT messages. No idea who they are, but followed the links and they have 50 members, so it's a fairly small pressure group. The sector employs in excess of 150,000 people. So I feel that while a worthy cause, they can have little impact on the thinking of the Government, a shame - but still a worthy cause, I thought. Then the application form details membership fees

£500 Company/Full Member, £250 Charity/Affiliate, £35 Freelance/individual. No mention about the differences the members receive depending on their membership status.

 

Look at the membership list and do the maths based on the status profile.

 

Who are BEIRG? No details, no address to write to, no details on their activities. Virtually all the website links point to outside agency documents.

 

The only address I can find is on the application form which is

21 Worcester Close

Istead Rise

Gravesend

Kent DA13 9LB

 

 

When people do the heavy sell on me, I become suspicious - and my admittedly brief investigations lead me to brick walls. I'd have happily contributed £35, but to whom?

 

So it would be nice if BEIRG had a human contact, with a name, and maybe some details on their website telling people what they have done so far, and other useful information.

 

I'm certain they are legit, I'm certain they have the industry's best interest at heart and their aim is important to many of us - but the lack of information on their site suggests that they must have already established links with many of the companies who have already become members, which are mainly manufacturers and major distributers and large hire companies. So reading the news archive enables some basic information to be determined.

8 'founding members' started it off 5 years ago. They have a 'presence' as meetings were held at OFCOM's offices. There are some details of meetings to come and invitations for people to attend, but nowhere is any form of information available about what has been achieved. The news is just other organisations press releases and comment.

 

Sorry if I appear negative, but I'd just like some information about the group. Before you join something, it is usual to find out a little about them, and I can't.

 

 

Is anyone on here a member who can tell us a bit about what they have been doing. Their news archive goes from 5 years ago and contains no information on what they have actually been doing?

[AndyL]

Who are BEIRG? No details, no address to write to, no details on their activities. Virtually all the website links point to outside agency documents.

 

When people do the heavy sell on me, I become suspicious - and my admittedly brief investigations lead me to brick walls. I'd have happily contributed £35, but to whom?

 

So it would be nice if BEIRG had a human contact, with a name, and maybe some details on their website telling people what they have done so far, and other useful information.

 

I'm certain they are legit, I'm certain they have the industry's best interest at heart and their aim is important to many of us - but the lack of information on their site suggests that they must have already established links with many of the companies who have already become members, which are mainly manufacturers and major distributers and large hire companies. So reading the news archive enables some basic information to be determined.

8 'founding members' started it off 5 years ago. They have a 'presence' as meetings were held at OFCOM's offices. There are some details of meetings to come and invitations for people to attend, but nowhere is any form of information available about what has been achieved. The news is just other organisations press releases and comment.

 

Sorry if I appear negative, but I'd just like some information about the group. Before you join something, it is usual to find out a little about them, and I can't.

 

 

Is anyone on here a member who can tell us a bit about what they have been doing. Their news archive goes from 5 years ago and contains no information on what they have actually been doing?

Hi Paul,

 

Did you read the press release in the original post?

 

It isn't a plea for membership. The point was to try and get some of the '150,000 people' to respond to the latest and most important Ofcom consultation.

 

At the bottom are the names, email adresses and mobile phone numbers of 6 members of the steering committee.

 

Any of them will be happy to take your call and tell you what we have been doing for the last 5 (is it really that long?) years.

 

Andy

[Ynot]

Is anyone on here a member who can tell us a bit about what they have been doing. Their news archive goes from 5 years ago and contains no information on what they have actually been doing?

Er....

<Coughs politely and points at Andy L's profile......>

:)

[paulears]

It's OK - I saw the names, and obviously Andy's pedigree is known on here, but my point is that the press release which does work, directs you to the site which is lacking essential information. Is it really necessary to have to google all the names to find out who they are? I was involved in the first round of 'consultations' spending hours on the phone doing interviews, and for what? John Willetts has been the most useful source of information that I've received. It was only as a result of reading some of his comment on the net I realised that PSME and other current licensed users were going to be split with channel 69 being treated separately. I'd missed this in all the Ofcom blurb.

 

I have no beef with the BEIRG apart from not being able to find out what they have done. I mean no disrespect to those within it who are lobbying heavily for some kind of solid info or future direction. Obviously, the manufacturers have two problems. I don't expect they are keen to have to sell two different ranges of kit in a single country - the confusion would be really easy to predict, and at the moment, as people have indicated - buying plans are on hold, and already new manufacturers to the UK are starting to be talked about - weakening the market even more. With some industry heavyweights (once you make the links) - why not tell everyone! Government, as in OFCOM information is very difficult for the average user to interpret, so using me as an example, I'm clueless about what to do with my own licensed systems. Do I replace components when they get broken, or do I bodge until something in the way of official advice appears. I have at the moment, two faulty Trantec packs, and three dropped Sennheisers, and I have no intention of paying to get these repaired until something is sorted.

 

The manufacturers, through a joint approach through BEIRG will have more clout, but what I am trying to say is that I can't find out what the benefit to me as a small business or freelance is of joining BEIRG. If they want increased membership from the rank and file, then members will need a tangible benfit. For the big boys this is pretty clear, but for me?

 

If people want my name and address on some supportive list, I'm very happy for it to be there, but maybe I'm missing something.

 

I know this appears negative, and the hard work of those involved is not questioned - it's just that I'd have liked to have been able to find out more info from a website that wants money? I can't even claim back the VAT!

[AndyL]

The manufacturers, through a joint approach through BEIRG will have more clout, but what I am trying to say is that I can't find out what the benefit to me as a small business or freelance is of joining BEIRG. If they want increased membership from the rank and file, then members will need a tangible benfit. For the big boys this is pretty clear, but for me?

 

If people want my name and address on some supportive list, I'm very happy for it to be there, but maybe I'm missing something.

 

I know this appears negative, and the hard work of those involved is not questioned - it's just that I'd have liked to have been able to find out more info from a website that wants money? I can't even claim back the VAT!

Some very valid points....

 

However, as I have said, the point of the original post was not to promote BEIRG, but to draw attention to the:

 

Ofcom Funding Consultation Document here;

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/pmse_funding/

Clock's ticking!

[paulears]

Just to say I did the survey - but did find the answers they wanted quite difficult as the summary isn't detailed enough and the full document very heavy!

 

I'd like to encourage people to answer the questions, some questions suggest they don't quite have a handle on the average user, and some others appear to suggest the plan may well be to favour the larger hire firms at the expense of the smaller ones. Links to rental income when considering compensation made me think.

Paul

[dickcrabbe]

Thanks for being clear & concise Andy, but I have one question. Do you think that the "new for old" replacement demand is a little OTT & likely to do more harm than good. The principle of a fair value is reasonable, as long as it is fair.

 

Surely it is more important to get the funding to the owners ASAP, so we can get the demand for new equipment to a level where manufacturers will have the equipment available for us.

 

 

Moderation: Please try to only quote a post if it is needed for clarity; seldom is it necessary to quote a whole post. PS, welcome to the Blue Room!

[AndyL]

Thanks for being clear & concise Andy, but I have one question. Do you think that the "new for old" replacement demand is a little OTT & likely to do more harm than good. The principle of a fair value is reasonable, as long as it is fair.

 

Surely it is more important to get the funding to the owners ASAP, so we can get the demand for new equipment to a level where manufacturers will have the equipment available for us.

Thanks, I didn't write the press release BTW, though I may have contributed a little.

 

Personally I don't think the "new for old" replacement demand is OTT. (I started writing a long explanation, but then decided that a public forum might not be the best place for it)

 

The 'new for old' isn't the complete answer. If kit can be re-tuned or re-engineered from channel 69 to channel 38 then the full cost of doing that should be met instead. That is fair and reasonable. As it happens this seems likely to apply mostly to the high end, more expensive, models of radio equipment of which there are relatively smaller numbers in circulation.

 

I agree that quicker would be better, but we are dealing (indirectly) with government here. Frankly I don't think that what we put in responses to consultations will make any difference to how quickly owners get some funding, it was always going to be a long and drawn out process, so lets make sure that we get the right outcome.

[dickcrabbe]

I have completed the response, and as someone of a similar scale as yourself I'd ask you to consider the usage issue that they seem inclined to ignore. Larger players attract much higher discounts on purchasing, and do so twice - once on the CH69 purchase, then again on the CH38 replacement. Not only that but they factor in a shorter lifespan than you or I would do.

 

If you add in the fact that they can more easily cover the changeover with stock of both systems, thus mitigating the geographical effects, it adds up to a quad whammy.

 

I've delegated the task of (hopefully) sorting out our angle of attack to one of my regular noise boys (who's also a part-time BBC Radio engineer). Our 14 licensed PMSE mix of G1/G2 Sennheisers, (hopefully plus the old G1 transmitters we 'retired' to backup status as we gradually replace with G2s), should be eligible for something in this little lot, but I've not got the time to plough through myself at this point - hence the delegation...!

[AndyL]

:huh: I don't know if it was there from the very beginning of the consultation, I didn't notice it before, but Ofcom also have an 'Interactive Executive Summary' facility for this consultation on their web site. Comments can be informal or 'official'....

 

On this experimental site we encourage you to leave informal comments alongside the Executive Summary of Ofcom's consultation Digital dividend: clearing the 800 MHz band - funding for programme making and special events, published on 14 August 2009.

 

You can indicate that you want your comments to be included formally in the consultation process by adding the hashtag #official at the end of your comment. Otherwise you can simply let us know your comments informally.

 

It is moderated BTW!