News
Valuing the digital dividend
consultants’ report competitiveness. But the maximize the benef_i ts for all. with the more spectrum-
A
compiled for the consultants add that this is not Drawing on socio-economic ef_f_i cient MPEG-4 and DVB-T2
European Commission a one-of_f bonus and that further modelling, which included three transmission standards. If this
on the use of ‘digital dividend’ digital dividend spectrum could spectrum supply scenarios and could happen by 2012, the cost
spectrum makes wide-ranging be unlocked in the future. six spectrum demand scenarios, of replacing existing MPEG-2
recommendations af_f ecting Potential uses identif_i ed the report recommends that EU receivers would be €700 million
many classes of spectrum for these frequencies include member states be required to less. On the other hand, the
use – including public safety additional cellular networks release the sub-band 790–862 report points out, imposing
services, wireless broadband and (3G and 4G), rural WiMAX MHz for wireless broadband such a change would breach the
programme-making activities as services, broadband wireless or other medium or low-power EC’s usual policy of technology
well as digital broadcasting. T_h e networks for public protection services, by 2015 – and indeed neutrality.
report is the work of Analysys and disaster relief – and new several states, including the UK,
Mason, DotEcon and the law broadcast services, including are already working towards this. Safety networks
f_i rm Hogan & Hartson. hand-held TV (DVB-H) and But this spectrum, it advises, T_h ough public safety bodies are
T_h e digital dividend, it terrestrial HDTV transmissions. should be licensed on a service- showing increasing interest in
argues, provides a unique A further possibility for the and technology-neutral basis. using private wireless broadband
opportunity to realize economic band will be cognitive radio, It adds that there may be an systems to supplement their
and social benef_i ts across the a family of technologies now economic case for a further 96 existing communications
EU. T_h ese it values at some under development which will MHz to be cleared if demand networks, the report sees no clear
€150–700 billion over the intelligently select radio channels for wireless broadband or other benef_i t in creating a Europe-
coming 15 years. With the that are not in use, transmitting future services remains high. wide network in digital dividend
closure of analogue TV services, on a licence-exempt basis. Other actions recommended spectrum. It suggests that there
which is taking place more or by the report include putting may be cheaper alternatives for
less simultaneously across the Maximum benefi ts pressure upon TV manufacturers public safety networks – for
Union, a large amount of high- Since the UHF digital dividend to improve the interference example, at 300–400 MHz or via
value spectrum will become frequencies cross national tolerance of their digital TV satellite in the 2 GHz range.
available for new applications borders, especially when receivers. At present, it says, they • Information relating to the
– spectrum which of_f ers the used at high power, the study have little incentive to do this. It study can be found at http://www.
greatest scope for innovation considered what action needs also recommends ensuring that analysysmason.com/EC_digital_
which will maintain the EU’s to be taken at EU level to all receivers sold be compatible dividend_study
■ Mobile phone users can
now call the 112 and 999
Connecting with smart meters
emergency numbers via another
network when in locations
where their home network
is unavailable, Ofcom has
A
Universal Metering Interface (UMI) has been date, there will need to be at least 70 000 smart
launched by Cambridge Consultants as an meter installations per week. Scale this up across
announced. The change is one
open standard to speed the adoption of smart Europe and it becomes clear that the debate
of a series of steps being taken
meters. UMI will allow manufacturers to produce about communications isn’t going to be resolved
by the UK regulator to improve
smart-ready utility meters without having to wait in time, and that a solution to get things moving is
the availability and take-up of
for decisions about how they should communicate needed. That’s exactly what UMI offers.”
telecoms services. Ofcom will
with the grid, appliances, or other devices. The UMI is a low-power, low-cost board-to-board
also help mobile operators
standard, which will help Europe towards meeting wired interface which will allow standard home
to deal with some persistent
its 2020 energy targets, has already been adopted network (e.g. ZigBee or Wireless M-Bus) or
‘not-spots’ in their coverage by
by Elster, one of the largest meter vendors in wide-area network (e.g. GPRS) communications
investigating the causes of poor
Europe. modules to be added to any metering product,
or absent service.
“Communications standards are vital to enable during production or in the fi eld, once a
smart energy appliances to talk to the meter and communications standard has been agreed.
■ Airwave, which operates the grid, but the RF interfaces which the Home
the UK’s digital network for Area Network (HAN) and Wide Area Network
public safety communications, (WAN) will use have not yet been selected”,
has established a venture to explained Alistair Morfey, technology director at
bring communications services Cambridge Consultants. “The UK Government
to public safety organizations committed in May 2009 to install smart meters in
in Australia. Its partner in the all 26 million homes by 2020, but even if rollout
venture is Broadcast Australia. begins in 2013, which is now the earliest realistic
4 LAND mobile October 2009
04-05 News.indd 4 21/10/2009 15:47
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52