Digital DividendOvercoming obstacles

Eric FournierDirector Spectrum Planning and International Affairs

Agence Nationale des Fréquencesfournier@anfr.fr

Three inter-related objectives• Digital Dividend is a result of the analogue switch-off and digital

switch-over. • All three processes have to be seen in conjunction• Example of France: Law of 5th March 2007

– Extension of digital TV :• Coverage of 95% of the population• Additional multiplex (HDTV, mobile TV, “bonus” channels) from the 5 used

for introduction of DTV– Analogue switch-off

• Switch off before 30 November 2011• Final plan to be decided by the Prime Minister• Detailed plan for progressive switch off (area per area) should be published

by the broadcasting authority (CSA) 9 month before its realization– Digital dividend

• National scheme for the reutilization of frequencies made free by the analogue switch off to be decided by the Prime minister after consultation of an ad-hoc parliamentary commission on the digital dividend

• The majority of the digital dividend is to be attributed to broadcasting

Analogue switch off and digital switch-over

• For countries like France where fixed reception remains the main TV reception mode, simulcast was necessary

• In a transition phase, it is necessary to ensure compatibility between – digital (inc. new services) – and analogue TV

• The final plan is the situation after the end of analogue :– It has to account for broadcasting and mobile dividend– It is progressively defined and achieved region by region

• During transition and at switch-over, it is necessary to coordinate with the neighbours

Three inter-related objectives

Extension of DTV

Arrêt de l’analogique

Transition plan Final plan

Digital Dividend for broadcasting

21/12/2007

85% of population

95% of population

Cambios de frecuenciasRefarming of analogue

Digital dividend for mobile

Switchover

Current transition multiplex arrangement in France

18 free + 10 pay TV + 5 HDTV

Current TV reception modes

TV Access(considering onlyprimary TV set)

% of households in 2008 Evolution over a year

DTT 30.1% +14.3 points

Digital satellite 14.1% +2.5 points

ADSL TV 10.5% +5.1 points

Digital Cable (pay-TV) 5.5% +0.8 point

Exclusively analogue terrestrial access

28.5% -16.9 points

Analogue cable (free and pay TV)

8.5% -0.7 point

Plan France-Numérique 2012Plan published by the government in October 2008. Prime Minister decisions published 23rd December 2008.

• Switch-over– First experience of switch-over in 2009 : Coulommiers, Kaysersberg,

Cherbourg– General process for switch over (information, assistance …)– Starting simultaneously from East (Alsace, Lorraine, Champagne,

Franche-Comté…) and West (Basse-Normandie, Pays de la Loire, Bretagne …)

• Digital dividend– 790-862 MHz allocated to mobile service from 30 November 2011 (830-

862 previously used by Defence)– Objective of 11 multiplex for DTV and 2 multiplex for mobile TV in the

band 470-790 MHz– Negociation mandate to the ANFR for addressing the issue with

neighbouring countries

What could we learn from our experience ?

• It is possible to densify the use of the UHF band :– For analogue/digital simulcast – For increasing broadcast services (mobile TV,

HDTV, more programmes)– For digital dividend

• Two critical elements :– Timing– Cross-border coordination

Authorization process

• The last part of the UMTS core band (3 blocs of 2x5 MHz) will be allocated soon (beauty contest starting next month)

• Current public consultation covering both authorization process for :– 2500-2690 MHz– 790-862 MHz

• Auction envisaged• Refarming necessary for both bands :

– Defence Point to Point links at 2.6 GHz (>700 links)– New programme for tactical defence communication

system initially planned in the band 830-862 MHz

Cross-border coordination

• Negotiation for the transition plan quasi-finalized with French neighbours

• Three objectives for the final Plan :– Reconstituting broadcasting networks below 790 MHz– Adding new multiplex (today situation is 6/7 DTV

multiplex + 5 analogue in simulcast)– But also protecting the sub-band 790-862 MHz (in

particular 832-862 MHz)• General principle is equitable access of

spectrum, independently from the services• Each neighbour has different objectives (use of

the sub-band, broadcasting usage, timing)

Interference risk at the border

CEPT Harmonisation

• After WRC-07, CEPT has confirmed that the band 790-862 MHz was THE sub-band

• For economies of scale, it is essential to agree on technical conditions applicable to this frequency band :– Channelling arrangement– Block edge mask

• ECC Decisions in 2009 would trigger the development of equipment for availability in 2012

• Widespread use of the sub-band in the long term would be beneficial to all CEPT countries

Channelling arrangement

Harmonised channelling arrangement will be • FDD 2 x 30MHz • Duplex gap of 11 MHz• Block size in multiples of 5 MHz • Reverse duplex direction. • Guard band of 1 MHz with broadcasting

791-796

796- 801

801-806

806- 811

811-816

816- 821

821 - 832 832- 837

837- 842

842- 847

847- 852

852- 857

857- 862

Downlink Duplex gap Uplink

30 MHz (6 blocks of 5 MHz) 11 MHz 30 MHz (6 blocks of 5 MHz)

BEM technical conditions

• Technical conditions necessary for :– Coexistence between different operators– Coexistence with broadcasting below 790

MHz– Coexistence with systems which will be used

in the centre gap (e.g. radiomicrophones)

• Consisting in block edge mask and eirp limitations

Protection of TV below 790 MHz

• Risk of local interference to TV reception around base stations

• The risk is dependent on TV receiver performance• Adjacent channel protection (channel 60) and, in the

immediate vicinity, possible overloading effect • Measures to ensure compatibility (additional filtering,

antenna pointing …) can only be taken at local level • Discussions in France :

– Extent of responsibility for mobile operators– Procedure to ensure that interference will be treated– Technical guidance to assess risk of interference and to mitigate

interference

Coordination ARNS in Russia vs Mobile in other countries

• Protection of ARNS from mobile service is on the basis of RR 9.21 procedure except for those countries which had mobile allocation before WRC-07 :– Agreement is to be sought from ARNS countries which may be affected– Lack of technical elements for determining the affected ARNS

administrations– Any objection is to be based on existing assignment– Review at WRC-11 under agenda item 1.17

• From a technical standpoint, the most difficult issue is the protection of airborne ARNS receiver. However, existing assignments are very limited (only few MHz)

• However, from a regulatory standpoint both « ARNS » administration and « mobile » administrations may block new assignments (ARNS or mobile) based on broadcasting rights (GE-06) !

Coordination ARNS in Russia vs Mobile in other countries (2)

• Status quo may be beneficial today for Russia but is not a long-term solution : – Russia should have the possibility to evolve

ARNS usage and/or to plan for digital dividend– Neighbouring countries should have the

possibility to deploy mobile service instead of broadcast

• In the context of 1.17 a compromise solution has to be found

THANKS !

Any question ?