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Switchover and you
You may well wonder what digital television switchover has to do with your use of wireless microphones in the future.
If you own wireless microphones that operate in the 470 - 862 MHz band switchover could have a significant impact on your ability to continue using your equipment.
These microphones share frequencies with those currently used to broadcast Analogue Terrestrial Television throughout the UK. But as the UK switches analogue television off and digital television on, fewer of these frequencies will be needed to broadcast television. Therefore Ofcom (as instructed by government) will be auctioning the frequencies that are no longer required to new uses/users. Fewer frequencies used for television broadcasting will therefore result in fewer frequencies for wireless microphones.
Will my microphones be affected?
Ofcom have written to all annual licensees to notify them of the impact switchover will have on the frequenices they currently use. Switchover in some regions has already started and will continue to move throughout the UK until completion in 2012. Visit our
Digital
Swithover & DDR information page to find out
whether the frequencies you currently use will be affected.
The definitive list of frequencies that will be available for wireless microphone use in the future is not yet finalised, but we hope to provide users with more clarity as soon as the information becomes available.
Advice when buying new equipmentUnder Ofcom's current proposals the following frequencies will no longer be available after switchover:
- 550 - 606 MHz (TV channels 31 - 37)
- 790 - 862 MHz (TV channels 61 - 69)
We would therefore advise users against buying any new equipment that use these frequencies.
For users who currently hold equipment that operates in the above bands Ofcom has stated that they will allow continued use until at least 1 January 2012 for channels 61 - 69 and later in 2012 for channels 31 - 37. The only exception is Ch36 where users will be asked to vacate sooner. Ofcom has recently confirmed that, according to current plans, Ch69 will cease to be available fro use from 1 July 2012 in all of the UK, except for London, Northern Ireland and the northeast of England which will cease to be available from 1 October 2012.
Ofcom have also recently announced that funding will be made available for channel 69 licensees. The details of which are subject to consultation. Look at our 'Moving out of Ch69' pages for more information.
When does my region switchover?
Digital UK (http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/) have a postcode checker on their website that enables the public to type in their postcode to discover when switchover is coming to their area.
How do I find out what frequencies my microphones operate on?
You can usually find the frequency your microphone operates on by looking on the label or display on your receiver.