A newly published EBU Technical Review article casts doubt on claims made by the mobile telecommunications industry in the context of preparations for next year's World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15). A key agenda item for that conference is future spectrum for mobile services.
The Tech Review paper was written by Roland Beutler (SWR) and Darko Ratkaj (EBU), respectively the chair and coordinator of the EBU's Cooperative Terrestrial Networks group. Titled Crystal balls, tea leaves or mathemetics: forecasting data traffic for mobile services , it aims to contribute to a critical examination of the mobile spectrum requirements as put forward by the mobile industry in the Report ITU-R M.2290. A number of erroneous elements have been identified in this report leading to the authors' conclusion that the mobile spectrum requirements are greatly overestimated.
No impact assessment
The conclusions of the ITU Report serve as the basis for the mobile industry's formal request to WRC-15, concerning the amount of spectrum to be granted for future mobile use. No cost/benefit analysis or impact assessment on the present users of the spectrum has been provided to justify these requirements.
If the WRC-15 decides to satisfy these requirements, the incumbent users of the affected frequency bands will have to be displaced. This, according to the authors or the article, would most certainly have an adverse impact on terrestrial broadcasting, satellite services, the cultural and content industries, and society in general.