Temporary assignment of UHF analogue interleaved frequencies

Statement published 09|12|08

Introduction

Background

1.1 Digital terrestrial television (DTT) in the UK remains an integral part of the broadcasting environment and increasingly so as digital switchover (DSO) begins in earnest. However, even as DSO commences, the terrestrial landscape continues to evolve to enable higher bandwidth services through the adoption of new, more efficient digital broadcast technologies such as MPEG-4 and DVB-T2.

1.2 Our consultation of 21 November 2007 ^(-1-) highlighted the opportunities presented by the new MPEG-4 and DVB-T2 technologies and our Statement of 3 April 2008 (the April Statement) ^(-2-) proposed a roadmap to realising these opportunities. In July this year legislation ^(-3-) came into force which empowered Ofcom to implement that roadmap; that is, to upgrade Multiplex B (operated by BBC Free to View Ltd), and to enable the launch of three high definition (HD) services on the multiplex. Implementation led by the BBC is now well underway with the launch expected to commence with the Granada television region in late 2009 and rollout thereafter following the DSO timetable (completing in 2012). However, a consequence of implementing alongside DSO is that some parts of the UK will not have access to the new HD services for up to three years after they first launch – a concern noted in our April Statement.

1.3 This statement concludes our technical consultation published on 22 October 2008 ^(-4-) (the Consultation). The Consultation considered whether additional frequencies could be temporarily assigned to the Multiplex B operator to enable the new HD services to launch ahead of DSO in some parts of the UK.

Our consultation

1.4 The Consultation noted the BBC’s request for Ofcom to make temporary frequency assignments to Multiplex B which would increase the proportion of the UK’s population with access to the new services while DSO rolls out. We considered the effects of assigning frequencies as the BBC requested and concluded it would be likely to:

• make more efficient use of currently underutilised spectrum;
• foster innovation and competition among equipment manufacturers; and
• drive take-up, creating more choice and lowering receiver prices for consumers.

1.5 The Consultation also outlined our spectrum management and other duties and set out the approach that we intended to adopt in responding to the BBC’s request. We also outlined the frequency assignment framework (see Annex 3) within which temporary assignments could be made across the UK. In summary, that framework:

• considers the compatibility of such assignments with Ofcom’s duties and objectives and wider spectrum management framework,
• assesses the availability of suitable frequencies, and
• investigates the technical feasibility of making assignments.

1.6 We applied the proposed frequency assignment framework to a case study for the potential use of Channel 31 in London, one of the areas identified by the BBC and one of the UK’s most congested geographic areas. The case study assessed impacts on existing spectrum users and concluded that, in this instance the impacts would be minimal and that an assignment could be made (see Section 4 of the Consultation).

1.7 Our analysis suggests that the benefits to citizens and consumers of assigning a frequency in this case would be significant and are likely to outweigh the costs. The benefits, which accrue mainly to consumers, include earlier access to the new services and increased competition between receiver manufacturers ^(-5-) (likely to lead to a wider range of products at lower prices). We believe there are also likely to be producer benefits to equipment manufacturers and broadcasters. Our full impact assessment of the costs and benefits of the London case study can be found at Annex 1.

1.8 That, if a formal request was received from the BBC, we intended to apply the frequency assignment framework to other areas nominated for early launch and we provided a worked example of how this would be applied in practice – the London case study.

The legal framework

1.9 In preparing this statement, we have considered the responses in light of the legal framework under which we operate (and as summarised at Annex 2), including our general duties, together with our policy objectives. Annex 2 also introduces the Limitations Order which limits the use of the relevant UHF frequencies being considered under this proposal to broadcasting and programme-making and special events (PMSE) use and to certain specified broadcasting and PMSE parties.

1.10 One of our primary duties is to secure the optimal use of the radio spectrum. In particular, we draw attention to our specific spectrum duties which require that we have regard to the extent to which spectrum is available for wireless telegraphy us or further use, and the existing and likely future demand for use of that spectrum for wireless telegraphy. We must balance this against our duty to take account of the different needs and interests of everyone wishing to use the spectrum for wireless telegraphy. In addition, we would expect to consider consistency with our general duties – the most relevant of which are also set out in Annex 2.

This document

1.11 This document is structured as follows:

• Section 2 – Provides a summary of the responses we received to the consultation and our assessment of issues raised by respondents.
• Section 3 – Sets out our conclusions and next steps.

Footnotes:

1.-http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/dttfuture/dttfuture.pdf

2.-http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/dttfuture/statement/

3.- SI 2008/1420 The Television Multiplex Services (Reservation of Digital Capacity) Order 2008, available at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/pdf/uksi_20081420_en.pdf

4.-http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/interleaveduhf/interleaved.pdf

5.- A larger initial market through an early launch in some areas is likely to stimulate faster development of receivers by more manufacturers than would be the case if services launched only alongside the DSO timetable.

The full document is available below