If you live in the UK, you probably already know that by 2012, analogue TV here will be no more, and digital TV will be the only option. So what will happen to the old analogue airwaves that TV took up that will no longer be in use, this part of the spectrum that is now being referred to as the “digital dividend”?
To explain a bit further, I’m going to quote very liberally from an email I received written by Andrew Back on the Electron Club mailing list:
“Radio spectrum is something that is free like air, only you’re allowed to breathe only that which the government or one of its licensees allows. Now, at first this sounds a bit mean, but then spectrum has to be managed else it would be complete chaos and of no use to anyone. However, unless your a licensed radio amateur or a commercial company with some kind of (often very costly) license all you really have access to (transmit) is:
– WiFi and bluetooth, 2.4GHz etc, with a measly power output (1/10th what they get in the US).
– DECT and analog cordless phones
– Remote control frequencies for model planes etc
– License free low power walkie talkies, baby monitors and such
– 27MHz CB radioWe did also used to have a 934MHz Citizens Band but that was taken away years ago, no doubt because a cellular operator wanted the spectrum, and nothing was given back…
Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a band for use in longer range digital comms (think wifi crossed with CB type range) that could penetrate walls, unlike current wifi. Or a chunk of unlicensed spectrum for use by artists and experimenters, maybe even allowing low-ish quality (thus lower bandwidth requirement than a normal TV channel) short range (to try and avoid congestion) TV broadcast. These are just two of many possible uses, and bear in mind implementing both could still leave lots of spare spectrum from that freed up.”
Thanks Andrew, for explaining that a lot better than I ever could!
It sound exciting, doesn’t it? A new chunk of the radio spectrum available for artists, communities, and hobbyists to claim as their own, as a result of technological progress (the migration to digital TV).
I’m going to quote another good source now, public-voice.org.uk, who mentions what they imagine will really happen with this “digital dividend”:
At present there are no fixed plans for what happens to the analogue spectrum in the UK, but the interest from commercial industries is likely to be huge. To counter this, it’s important that as many representatives as possible from the voluntary and civil society sector come together to state the case for citizen-centric, in addition to this consumer-centric, broadcasting. If we don’t make our case now, and make it well, then this spectrum may be lost to us forever.
It isn’t difficult to make your voice heard on this issue. You can, first of all, learn more at the public-voice.org.uk website;
Then respond to Ofcom’s consultation document before the 20th of March;
And then, if you think that this spectrum should be used in a community-centric way, you may also wish to sign the petition at the 10 Downing St. website and the Scottish Parliament’s website.