Techworld.com - UK spectrum set for massive sell-off

Techworld.com - UK spectrum set for massive sell-off

UK spectrum set for massive sell-off
By Peter Judge, Techworld

The UK radio communications industry is due for a big boost, with regulator Ofcom planning a massive consultation to sell off radio spectrum released when analogue TV is switched off.

In a few years' time, if all goes well, there could be all the spectrum we need for wireless broadband, new mobile services and maybe some more unlicensed spectrum for Wi-Fi like services.

Ofcom is opening the spectrum up in its new 'technology-neutral' way, so different services can be switched on and off according to demand. The regulator is starting a Digital Dividend Review to decide how to use the spectrum that will be freed up.

The five terrestrial TV channels currently use nearly half the good bandwidth below 1GHz to broadcast analogue signals, according to a plan set up in the 1950s. Sending the data digitally would be six times as efficient.

By 2012, everyone is meant to have a digital receiver, and the analogue signals can be switched off, freeing up 112 MHz of UHF bandwidth for other applications. This spectrum is ideal for all sorts of applications, due to its long-range and good penetration of buildings. "




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