Proposal for More Wireless Spectrum Called Threat to DTV in Some European Markets

A European Parliament member’s plans for releasing TV spectrum for mobile broadband services exceed the European Commission’s, said Public Affairs Head Nicola Frank of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), in an interview Monday. With the 800 MHz band expected to be freed for wireless uses by digital switchover by 2013 across Europe, Gunnar Hokmark of Sweden and the European People’s Party and others are already looking for a “second digital dividend” from the 700 MHz band, Frank said. That could spell “the end of terrestrial television” in some countries, she said. She was responding to a draft report by Hokmark on the EC proposal for a five-year spectrum policy roadmap, discussed Monday in the Industry, Research and Energy Committee.

Public broadcasters can live with making the 800 MHz band available for mobile services, though some EU countries haven’t even started the digital switchover, Frank said. The EBU said it wants the 2013 deadline pushed back to 2015 to account for variations in national circumstances. But Hokmark said at the meeting he wants Europe to lead in mobile broadband use by making 1200 MHz of spectrum available for mobile by 2015.

The draft report asks the EC to seek harmonization and use of the 1.5 GHz and 2.3 GHz bands for wireless broadband services; “continuously monitor” capacity requirements for wireless broadband services; and, as justified and in cooperation with national governments, to evaluate the need to harmonize additional spectrum in bands such as the 700 MHz. But any further reduction of available spectrum beyond the 800 MHz band will jeopardize terrestrial broadcasting, one of the most popular, efficient and inexpensive ways of watching TV in Europe, the EBU said. Many governments will struggle to open up the band because terrestrial TV can’t go anywhere else in the UHF band, Frank said.

Broadcasters want authorities to look more comprehensively at how efficiently spectrum is used before carrying out major replanning exercises, Frank said. That includes taking account of all relevant frequency bands, technology developments and market conditions, she said. Hokmark’s quantitative approach of wanting to allocate as much spectrum as possible for mobile services goes beyond the EC’s proposal, Frank said, calling it “disappointing” and not technologically neutral. Moreover, the EC and Hokmark believe that adding wireless broadband access will help close the digital gap and take broadband to rural areas, she said. Public broadcasters also offer on-demand services online and want everyone to have access to broadband but believe that fiber, not wireless, is the answer, she said.

Hokmark said he’s sensitive to the issues surrounding the 700 MHz band, which is why he wants the EC to review its potential uses for mobile services after other bands have been made available. Catherine Trautmann, of France and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, urged lawmakers not to put all their eggs in one basket but to consider freeing higher frequency bands as well. Digital TV is the best way to distribute one-to-many and any plans should start from the principle that there will be demand even if the usage changes, she said. She voiced concern about migration costs, saying the issue hasn’t been addressed clearly and legislators must also consider the cost to consumers of TV decoders and other devices. Migration costs should be paid by those who benefit from the spectrum release, another member said.

Monday’s message was that the Parliament must put up a united front in negotiations with governments on the spectrum policy program, said Pilar del Castillo Vera of Spain and the EPP. Based on the discussion, there don’t appear to be major obstacles, Hokmark said.