Back in June this year Ofcom published two of their Digital Dividend Review (DDR) consultations. The first focused on the detailed award design for the so-called “cleared spectrum”, and the second looked at the design of auctions for the “geographic interleaved spectrum”. Take a look at our previous news items for more information.

Both of these documents are of interest to us as the frequencies awaiting auction are within the spectrum where wireless microphones currently operate. We have therefore responded to both documents highlighting PMSE issues that arise from the “cleared” and the “geographic interleaved” awards.

15/08/08 2500 - 2690MHz temporary access extended

The 2500 – 2690MHz band was due to be closed completely to PMSE use after 31 August 2008. However Ofcom has recently agreed that users can continue using the band for temporary use after this date.

All annual licences for the band will cease on the 31 August but we are able to accept applications for short-term use after this date in specific locations a maximum of three months in advance. Area assignments will not be available and access will be subject to 3 months notice.

Therefore we have now added the 2500 – 2690MHz band to our online wireless camera booking tool where 12 hour periods are available for up to 1W ERP only. Alternatively customers can continue to apply via our in-house service.

14/08/08 Band Manager proposals focus on protecting PMSE

Having now had an opportunity to fully digest Ofcom’s Band Manager Consultation, we believe that it contains mostly good news for our licensees.

The selection criteria that they propose to use for the beauty contest and the PMSE obligations that will be entrenched into the Band Manager’s licence have been designed with protection of PMSE access and use specifically in mind.

Whilst PMSE access to frequency bands are guaranteed until 2018, the Band Manager will only be given 1 years notice to hand back key bands to Ofcom if they fail to meet their obligations to the industry. The frequency package that applicants will compete for will also contain the majority of bands that JFMG currently licence; and this means that all PMSE access will be catered for in the future.

An obvious concern for any prospective Band Manager is the final licence fee that they will need to pay Ofcom for the PMSE spectrum package. Some of Ofcom’s initial calculations could be challenging for a Band Manager to deal with given the fees that PMSE licensees currently pay and the price obligations that will appear within their licence. Regardless of the level of fee it is likely that PMSE prices will have to increase once the Band Manager comes into operation.

Ofcom have stated that they have not yet completed their work on the Band Manager’s licence fee and that this will be subject to a separate consultation towards the end of the year. The same consultation will also address how the Band Manager will authorise access to its spectrum and the detailed technical conditions for each spectrum band. All of these issues are vital to address so whilst Ofcom have made a good start, there’s a still a way to go before we get the full picture.

31/07/08 PMSE Band Manager consultation arrives

Today sees the publication of the last of Ofcom’s three Digital Dividend Review (DDR) consultations: “Band Manager Award”.

This consultation will be of interest to all of our customers as it consults on Ofcom’s plans for awarding a new commercial Band Manager for PMSE from Spring 2010.

The main headlines are:

The award will be by Beauty Contest and will be for most of the spectrum currently used by PMSE (including the Digital Interleaved Spectrum)
Ofcom propose to protect PMSE use by asking the successful Band Manager to make commitments:
- on pricing policy
- on allowing PMSE users to access spectrum for which they are prepared to pay
- on service levels users will receive
- on dispute resolution
Ofcom will publish a second consultation in Winter 2008 on how the band manager will authorise PMSE use, detailed technical licence conditions and the level of the annual charge the band manager will have to pay to Ofcom.

Timings

16 October 2008          This consultation closes
Winter 2008                  Second consultation
Spring 2009                  Statement
Autumn 2009                PMSE Band Manager licence awarded
Spring 2010                  PMSE Band Manager starts operating

21/07/2008 JFMG News - July 2008

In this issue:

Digital Switchover activity update
Ofcom DDR docs - 2 down, 1 to go...
On the red carpet
More enhancements and online demo's
Community users

12/06/08 Next steps in auction of white space spectrum

Today sees the publication of the second of Ofcom’s three Digital Dividend Review (DDR) consultations: “Geographic interleaved awards 470 – 550 MHz and 630 – 790 MHz”.

It focuses on the detailed design and award by auction of the so-called “geographic interleaved” spectrum. The “geographic interleaved” spectrum refers to some of the white spaces in channels 21 – 30 and 41 – 60 that are left in areas where Digital Television does not use a specific channel. This is where the majority of wireless microphones will operate after Digital Switchover.

Ofcom’s consultation proposes the following:

To auction in late 2008/early ’09 lots of:

Ch 21 and 48 in the Carlisle area
Ch 57, 56 and 60 in the Manchester and Liverpool areas
Ch 30 and 51 in the Cardiff area

To auction via a combined award lots in the 25 sites identified in Ofcom’s December 2007 DDR statement – to take place after the “cleared award” in Summer ‘09
To consider auctioning on a case by case basis a further 46 lots after the 25 are awarded. Based on sufficient expressions of interest.

The remaining “interleaved” spectrum will be awarded to a PMSE Band Manager, the detailed consultation of which is expected this summer.

This consultation closes on 21 August 2008.

06/06/08 Ch38 included in Ofcom’s latest auction proposals

Today sees the publication of the first of Ofcom’s three Digital Dividend Review (DDR) consultations: “550 – 630 MHz and 790 – 854 MHz”. This focuses on the detailed award design for the so-called “cleared spectrum”.

The document explains that Ofcom propose to award the following spectrum by auction:

550 – 630 MHz (Channels 31 – 40) and 806 – 854 MHz (Channels 63 – 68)
590 – 598 MHz (Channel 36) in March 2009
606 – 614 MHz (Channel 38) in 2012
790 – 806 MHz (Channels 61 and 62)

The spectrum identified is as expected except from the introduction of a new proposal for Channel 38.

It also proposes the following timescale for the award:

Auction to be held in Summer 2009
But cleared spectrum will not be available for use until after the 2012 Olympic Games

This consultation closes on the 15 August 2008.

Still to come over the coming weeks are the remaining two DDR consultations:

i) The award of geographical interleaved spectrum; and
ii) The PMSE Band Manager award

We’ll be sure to keep you informed as soon as they are published.

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08/05/08 More efficient use of wireless microphones – Ofcom study

Ofcom have recently commissioned consultants to undertake a study looking at more efficient use of wireless microphones, IEMs and talkback. They would like to better understand how use might change in terms of spectrum, equipment and new technology up to and beyond the ten-year period during which users will continue to enjoy protected access to the UHF interleaved spectrum.

Therefore customers, manufacturers, industry experts and other stakeholders may be contacted to understand what developments are technically and commercially possible.

28/04/2008 New Spectrum Information Sheet

A new spectrum information sheet has now been published and will be included in all new licence documentation. The sheet currently focuses on the impact of digital television switch-over for users of wireless microphones, personal monitors and talkback/intercom in 470-862MHz

16/04/2008 More frequencies available online

We continue to expand the range of frequencies available for customers to book online. This month we are happy to announce:

1) The addition of wireless camera channels in the 2025 – 2110 MHz band
2) The introduction of wireless camera channels in the 7110 – 7250 MHz band
3) The addition of camera control channel 473.250 MHz

In addition we have introduced an “On-line Booking Latest” area on our login page so customers can see the newest releases to our online systems. You can also access our new Catalogue to browse what frequencies are currently available online without logging onto the portal.

04/04/2008 Closure of 2.6 GHz band

Ofcom has today published details of its award for the 2.6GHz band and announced that PMSE access will cease on 31st August 2008.

No short term use will be licensed after 31st August 2008 and any licences currently in force for ongoing use of the band will be revoked on 31st August 2008.

Since 1st January 2007, PMSE use of the band 2500 -2690MHz has been permitted on the basis of 3 months notice of closure.

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11/03/08 Online bookings - Single basket arrives…

shopping basket We can now announce the arrival of single basket to our online tools. This new addition will make our online tools far easier and convenient to use. Instead of having to book and pay for frequencies for each equipment type separately; you can now select all of your requirements and place them into the single basket to pay for in one go.
Why not visit the area now via the JFMG login page .

If you think that your company would benefit from an onsite demo of our online tools, or if you would like to give feedback on your experience of using our services, please email us at admin@jfmg.co.uk .

26/02/2008 Measuring up the 2012 white spaces

Now that Ofcom has released information on the shape and size of white space spectrum for wireless microphones, we can explore some of the key issues facing the industry: Will there be enough spectrum? How usable will it be? What do the maps and online tool mean? Is there a threat from cognitive radio?

Our forum on the 22 February aimed to provide industry with an in-depth understanding of all the essentials in preparation for Ofcom’s next consultation in Spring 2008. Take a look at the slides we presented to 40 industry representatives.

29/01/2008 JFMG News - January 2008

The January edition of JFMG News is now available.

In this issue:

New horizon emerges from the mist
Spotlight now on Wireless Cameras
The Who - we Won't Get Fooled Again!
On-line Toolkit - takes off
New JFMG Website

16/01/2008 White Space revealed…

Today sees the publication of “Access to interleaved spectrum for programme-making and special events after digital switchover”. The document is intended to clarify the spectrum available for use by wireless microphones after completion of Switchover (2012). The information is presented in the document using maps detailing availability throughout the UK. However, JFMG are also hosting the information in the form of a database similar to our online mic-check tool. Simply pick from our list of popular locations, type in the post code or Ordnance Survey grid reference to find out detailed availability in your area.

11/01/2008 Major Events programme 2008

Every year we successfully coordinate and licence thousands of frequencies for use at special events, most of which are dealt with on a first come first served basis. However every January we identify a number of forthcoming events that need to be treated differently to ensure their smooth completion.

We call these events “Major Events”. This means that we allocate specific event coordinators to each and encourage prospective customers to send in requests for frequencies well in advance. Once we receive applications we produce a spectrum plan that will aim to accommodate all of our customers’ requirements. For more information on this approach visit our Major Events page.

The 2008 Major Events list has now been finalised and published on our website. We will be assigning dedicated coordinators for each event in the very near future. So if your event is on our list please visit again in the next couple of weeks to find out who will be looking after your applications.

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11/01/2008 Digital Dividend – Spectrum price crucial to success of PMSE band manager

The Digital Dividend statement may have been published in December, but the debate regarding its content continues.

Contributing to Policy Tracker’s article “Ofcom sticks to market principles but throws in a few surprises”, JFMG’s MD, Paul Gill said:

“[Ofcom’s proposals] appear to be a workable framework for a smooth transition. However, the crucial next step is setting the level of pricing for the spectrum, and this won’t be known until an information memorandum is published in Autumn 2008.” Gill says “provided that the current revenues and price sensitivities are considered carefully when setting AIP (Administered Incentive Pricing) then there is a viable solution for a PMSE aligned band manager”. He adds that “JFMG has the technical and managerial abilities to become the band manager for the digital era.”

Paul will also be contributing to the wider discussion on 5th March when he will be speaking at the Policy Tracker European Digital Dividend conference in Brussels.

7/01/08 Interleaved spectrum – White spaces or patches of grey?

We now know that much of the white spaces interleaved between digital TV broadcasts is to be reserved for wireless microphones and monitors. (See our “Easy Guide”)

So with access to spectrum secured can the industry now relax and reflect on a job well done? Read more

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Book Online for immediate access to spectrum

Wireless cameras, Wireless microphones, Talkback

Wireless Microphone Spectrum - 2012

Look-up spectrum available after switchover is completed.

Latest News

15/08/08 JFMG responds to 2 of 3 DDR consultations