a radio spectrum policy programme for europe: impact of the digital switchover on eu citizens nicola...
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A Radio Spectrum Policy Programme for Europe:
Impact of the Digital Switchover on EU Citizens
Nicola FrankHead of European Affairs
Brussels, 12 January 2011
Overview
• Terrestrial broadcasting: a diverse but necessary platform
• Broadcasting and Broadband: choosing the most efficient way to deliver content to citizens
• An efficient spectrum policy for EU citizens
- 57% of EU households receive TV over terrestrial networks (analogue and digital)
- DTT is the fastest growing platform
Analogue terrestrial
IPTV xDSL
Digital terrestrial
Satellite
Cable
Sum terrestrial 57%
Diversity of a popular platform
17 countries still running analogue TV:
including FR, EL, IT, PT, UK
3 countries have DTT but no anlogue switch-off plan:
HU, LT, PT
DTT in Italy 65%, UK 72%, France 78%, Spain 81%
DTT in the NL:13%DTT in Germany: 11 %
50 % of all DTT channels are regional or local
8 countries have HD on DTT
Analogue switch-off completed; terrestrial platform converted to DVB-T:Andorra, Belgium (Flemish), Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden & Switzerland.
Analogue switch-off underway; both analogue and DVB-T services available: Austria, Czech Republic, France, Italy & United Kingdom
Only analogue services available. DVB-T services may be available on a trial/pilot basis Plans to launch DVB-T/-T2 from 2011: BiH, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland,Romania, Serbia
Both analogue and DVB-T services available; analogue switch-off has not begun: Albania, Belgium (French-speaking), Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, FYRoMacedonia, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia
Strong differences in the switch-over process→ a 2013 deadline will not work
Spectrum allocations in Europe
300 1000 2000 3000Frequency (MHz)
The UHF band (band IV and V)
Broadcasting Mobile Digital dividend(800 MHz band)
Total spectrum allocation
Broadcasting 347 MHz
Mobile 560 MHz
Digital dividend 72 MHz632 MHz
Public Service Broadcasters distribution strategy
• Linear and on-demand services, e.g. catch-up TV
• New services introduced and planned (HDTV, mobile TV, 3D TV)
• Key development: hybrid broadband / broadcast (HBB)
Combine broadcasting and broadband delivery depending on the service
Terrestrial platform important until 2020 and beyond
Broadband
• Individual, bi-directional (with back channel), one-to-one
→ the user chooses the content and the timing
• The same content has to be transmitted as many times as
there are users, even if it is transmitted simultaneously
• Users share the capacity of a network → risks of
congestion and loss of quality
• Capacity constrains are particularly significant for mobile
broadband (including LTE) Broadband is used for on-demand services- catch-up
TV (iPlayer and Mediatheken)- time-shift, additional programme information
Terrestrial broadcasting
• One-to-many → the same content is transmitted to an unlimited
number of users at the same time
• Capacity is not shared between users → no loss of quality if the
number of users increases
• Cost of delivery is fixed and independent of number of users →
DTT is highly spectrum efficient
• Terrestrial broadcasting provides universal (up to 98%) coverage
• It is the most popular free-to-air platform Terrestrial Television is used for the transmission of linear
content and particularly suited for the simultaneous transmission to large audiences
An efficient spectrum policy for EU citizens means:
Consumers should be given the choice between platforms, including terrestrial free-to-air → platform competition
Consumers should not pay the costs of migrating services to other frequency bands and other platforms
DTT quality of service must be guaranteed – protection against harmful interference including for programme-making and special events equipment (e.g. wireless microphones)
Spectrum efficiency → using the transmission platform best suited for the service transmitted: avoid congestion and loss of quality
Spectrum efficiency → applied to all spectrum usage and all bands: transparent assessment criteria and methodologies needed for the inventory
Respect diversity in Member States → 2013 deadline is not realistic
The scope of the RSPP should not go beyond the principles of the Telecom Package
