DigiTAG, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Broadcast Networks Europe (BNE) and the Association of Commercial Television (ACT) during the IBC issued a further set of formal recommendations in an effort to protect DTT services from harmful interference.
Confusing for the viewer
EBU Technical Director Lieven Vermaele explained that interference from mobile communications devices on TV reception could easily mislead viewers to incorrectly think their equipment is broken. He said: "The viewer would have no way of knowing that there was actually nothing wrong with his TV or the service. It is therefore essential, in the public interest, that great care is taken in the planning and implementation of mobile communications services in the former broadcasting band, so that the risk of such confusion is totally avoided."
Bernard Pauchon, chairman of BNE, said: “Considerable efforts are being made by the whole broadcasting industry to rearrange DTT transmission below 790 MHz in order to clear the upper frequencies for other uses. European and national institutions must ensure that the users of these cleared upper frequencies do not inadvertently interfere in the broadcast services provided by broadcast network operators to broadcasters and citizens.
Field trials
Part of the new recommendations is a call for field trials to be organised to observe the ‘real world’ impact of the deployment of mobile/fixed communications services versus the results of theoretical models utilised for prediction purposes.
The new recommendations and the complete press release can be downloaded from the Digitag website. For more on this topic, you can also contact: Dr Walid Sami (EBU).