OFCOM February Update 2008
Members will now be aware of recent developments that will impact on the PMSE community so this note is designed to bring you up to date.
Proposals of particular interest to IBS members are as follows:
Channel 69 will continue to be available for PMSE and protected by licencing
Community users encouraged to use the licence exempt channel 70
Most of the white spaces, sometimes known as "interleaved spectrum", between digital television in channels 21-30 and 41-60 will be available for PMSE
Part of the white spaces in channels 21-30 and 41-60 will be auctioned for local television (or other uses)
All of the white spaces in Channels 61 and 62 will be auctioned and so unlikely to be available for PMSE. This marks a change from OFCOM's original statements that these channels, which are part of the upper DTT block, would continue to be available for PMSE
Low power smart radios (cognitive) will be permitted to share white spaces but must not cause interference to PMSE or digital television. Currently the FCC in the USA is about to conduct tests to evaluate the possibilities of this type of radio system causing interference to adjacent DTT services. OFCOM has indicated that they will undertake similar tests in the UK before giving the go-ahead for this type of service.
Channels 31-37, 39-40, 61-62 and 63-68 will be cleared of PMSE use
Access for PMSE users will be through a Band Manager
Spectrum will be awarded to a Band Manager by a beauty contest at end-2008
Auctions for white spaces will start at end-2008. Auctions for cleared spectrum will follow in 2009
Band ManagerClearly the PMSE community would wish to see JFMG Ltd continue their current function as the new band manager but at present there is no certainty of that until we know the result of the "beauty contest" later this year. The new band manager would be "gifted" the white space spectrum to manage under an AIP (Administered Incentive Pricing) process, i.e. charging for spectrum on a market led basis. Clearly this principal will be untenable for the PMSE community so,
while accepting that licences will cost more than at present, it is hoped that a future band manager will realise the financial weakness of the PMSE community
in their pricing policy. OFCOM is seeking feedback by the end of February on the issues to be considered in the band manager beauty contest. Feel free to express you views to them so that we get the "right" result.
Continuing IssuesThe Pro-user group, of which the IBS is a member, will continue to discuss with OFCOM the practical problems that will occur during DSO so that PMSE activity
can continue satisfactorily. We are also seeking further clarification now that OFCOM has published service area maps showing post DSO white space availability. Currently available on the JFMG Ltd web site.
European Developments. The Pro-user group has been made aware of recent announcements in the EU particularly in connection with the harmonization of future two-way mobile services (cellphones). This has given rise to the removal of
Channels 61 & 62 white space for PMSE use in the UK. We shall monitor developments.
Malcolm Johnson IBS Secretariat
Peter Almgill
23-06-2008 13:17
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