Canford

www.canford.co.uk

Radiomics and Channel 69

Introduction

Download PDF Version

You may have heard that channel 69 will soon cease to be available for radio microphone and in-ear monitoring use. Therefore, going forwards, if you require a licensed frequency you will need to be able to access channel 38 (and possibly channels 39 and 40 depending on location) and may need to purchase new equipment. Most manufacturers are now supplying systems on channel 38 (and channels 39 and 40).

If you only require the use of the four licence-free channels in channel 70 then you will be able to continue to access these. This will be the case after 2012 when the new regulations come in and will be regardless of whether you use new or existing equipment.

Digital Switchover – information from JFMG

You may well wonder what digital television switchover (DSO) has to do with your use of wireless microphones in the future. JFMG, the dedicated band manager for programme-making, entertainment, special events and related activities, has provided the following information to help PMSE users understand what the changes will mean for them. Please note that whilst the following information is up to date at the time of writing, it can change rapidly, so please refer to the JFMG website for the latest news.

If you own wireless microphones that operate in the 470-862 MHz band DSO could have a significant impact on your ability to continue using your equipment. These microphones share frequencies with those currently used to broadcast analogue terrestrial television throughout the UK. But as the UK switches analogue television off and digital television on, fewer of these frequencies will be needed to broadcast television. Therefore Ofcom, instructed by the Government, will be auctioning the frequencies that are no longer required to new uses and users. This means that fewer frequencies will be available for use by wireless microphones.

Will my microphones be affected?

Ofcom has written to all PMSE annual licensees to notify them of the impact that DSO will have on the frequencies they currently use. DSO in some regions has already started and will continue to move throughout the UK until completion in 2012. Digital UK has a postcode checker on its website that enables the public to type in their postcode to discover when DSO is coming to their area. You can find out whether the frequencies you currently use will be affected by DSO by visiting JFMG's Digital Switchover & DDR information page. The definitive list of frequencies that will be available for wireless microphone use in the future is not yet finalised, but Ofcom will provide users with more clarity when information becomes available.

You can usually find the frequency your microphone operates on by looking on the label or display on your receiver.

Advice when buying new equipment

Under Ofcom's current proposals the following frequencies will no longer be available after DSO:

  • 550 - 606 MHz (TV channels 31 - 37)
  • 790 - 862 MHz (TV channels 61 - 69)

It is therefore advisable that users do not buy any new equipment that uses these frequencies. For users who currently hold equipment that operates in the above bands Ofcom has stated that it will allow continued use until at least 1 January 2012 for channels 61 - 69 and later in 2012 for channels 31 - 37. The only exception is channel 36 where users will be asked to vacate sooner. Ofcom has recently confirmed that, according to current plans, channel 69 will cease to be available for use from 1 July 2012 in all of the UK, except for London, Northern Ireland and the northeast of England which will cease to be available from 1 October 2012.

Further to its 2009 consultation 'Clearing the 800MHz band: Funding for programme-making and special-events' Ofcom has announced that funding will be made available for channel 69 licensees subject to eligibility criteria. The full details can be found in Ofcom's statement dated 5 August 2010 and Ofcom has appointed Equiniti as the PMSE funding scheme administrator. If you think that you may be eligible for funding, you need to register your claim with Equiniti before the end of December 2010. For further information either visit PMSE Funding or call Equiniti on 0800 011 3617. Claims are due to start being processed in 2011.

Guide to Spectrum availability

JFMG has produced an 'Easy Guide' that summarises Ofcom's decisions for future spectrum access for PMSE.

Further information is available from: