Audio Media - September 2008 - (Page 14) w h a t ’s u p UK whatsupuk@audiomedia.com Band Managing KEVIN HILTON looks at the continuing saga of the digital switchover, with the spotlight on bidding for bands. hen will the digital switchover happen?”, junk mail has been demanding of British householders in the last few months. The answer is, probably too soon for some, and not soon enough for others. As we move towards 2012, when analogue television in this country will become a part of history, the ongoing saga of the Digital Dividend Review enters a new phase in its protracted life. This is all about Ofcom’s proposals for the re-allocation of the frequency spectrum and over the past two years broadcasters, mobile phone companies and the PMSE (programme makers and special events) sector have been making their cases for why they need access to this valuable resource. Over the summer Ofcom issued two documents concerned with the UHF analogue TV bands that will become fully available by the end of 2012, in other words the cleared spectrum, and what is in between the main frequencies, known as interleaved spectrum. Both affect PMSE, particularly as Ofcom sees radio mics as ‘migrating’ to the interleaved area rather than taking up conventional frequencies. But a third paper, issued at the end of July, is aimed directly at PMSE as it sets out proposals for awarding, through a competitive bidding process, a ‘single package of interleaved spectrum’ to a licensee that would then allocate frequencies to users and act as band manager. Digital Dividend Review: Band Manager Award and Consultation on Detailed Award Design, to give the document its full, snappy title, also has hard technical and administrative details, including the revelation that the proposed package of spectrum to be put up for grabs will include most of what is being used right now for PMSE. This will be arranged into 75 separate bands between 47.55MHz and 48.4GHz, marked out by a block-edge mask (BEM) technique. “W O fcom prefers a light touch, marketbased approach to managing spectrum but acknowledges that PMSE is a special case because of its fragmented nature and different types of user. In a more regulatory mode, Ofcom says for bands used currently for PMSE it reserves the right to alter or withdraw existing licences on grounds of spectrum management, giving the band manager notice of one year; it claims the same power for frequencies not being used for PMSE, only with five years’ notice. These latest proposals have not been well received by the Professional Users Group, which includes such industry groups as the Institute of Broadcast Sound (IBS) and BEIRG (British Entertainment Industry Radio Group). Concern had already been voiced over the potential for cognitive devices, which sense if a frequency is being used and so can move into a vacant slot but which do not, as yet, recognise radio mics and similar equipment. In a statement IBS Chairman John Sullivan again raised the issue of cognitive technology but said the ‘real cause of alarm’ was Ofcom’s mention of DTT (digital terrestrial television) services alongside PMSE. “While the Executive Summary does indeed mention PMSE as one of the potential users of the interleaved spectrum the emphasis on local DTT services does give rise to concern that, should they proceed as indicated, they will further restrict the availability of suitable spectrum for PMSE,” he says. An even greater concern, as Alan March of BEIRG points out, is the possibility that PMSE will be moved out of Channel 69, currently its prime source of suitable frequencies. Clearly there is the belief that PMSE should have access to cleared spectrum until 2012, not just from organisations like BEIRG but also, apparently, some mobile phone companies. With a non-mandatory recommendation passed at the World Radiocommunications Conference in 2007 that the 790-862 band range should be allocated for advanced mobile wireless communications (IMT), March says there is no indication where PMSE would go if it is moved from its current frequencies. While in the short-term there is confidence at BEIRG that PMSE will be ‘alright’, March says that unless conditions change the mid to long-term could be ‘a bit bleak’. That would certainly be the case if, in another ten years, Ofcom does make users pay the true value of spectrum; something is worth what someone else is prepared to cough up for it, so if mobile phone companies are able to offer millions of pounds, then that is what spectrum is worth. PMSE, it seems, does not have this financial weight, despite being part of multi-million pound businesses like musical theatre. JFMG broadly welcomed the proposals but is concerned about how much would have to be paid to Ofcom in licensing fees, which might put up the overall cost of using radio mics and other wireless gear. JFMG’s contract with Ofcom finishes at the end of this month and although Managing Director Paul Gill has said the company would be silly not to look at bidding, it would not be ‘at any price’. At the time of writing Ofcom was formulating a contingency plan to cover management of PMSE bands until the appointment of a new band manager. There is still much more to happen in this continuing tale. The current consultation period runs until October 16, with another document scheduled for the end of year, covering how the band manager will authorise access to the spectrum for PMSE and other users. And there is a good chance that the political lobbying that has got the Professional Users Group where it is today will gear up again. As old-style newsmen used to say, this one will run and run. ∫ Introducing the new PortaGig. Glyph’s second generation PortaGig 800 can handle over 55 tracks of 24bit/48k audio, with edits, running on FireWire bus power. Weighing less than 10 ounces, all this power is backed by Glyph’s Advance Replacement and Data Recovery Policies. Up to 250GB capacity (2) FireWire 800, (1) USB 2.0 port 7,200 or 5,400 RPM SATA II drives Universal AC power supply included Store in a cool place.. 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