BBC Trust Report on Spectrum use

The BBC Trust has issued a report on Spectrum use dealing primarily with digital terrestrial television DTT.

Among the reports conclusions are:

1.11 In the next five years, efficiency improvements in the BBC’s multiplexes are possible from a number of sources:
• More efficient coding and multiplexing.
• Reductions in the picture quality of services.
• The adoption of new technologies such as DVB-T2 and MPEG-4.
• Change in modulation from 16QAM to 64QAM.

1.16 The BBC does not appear to have a sufficiently value-based process for making decisions relating to the trade-offs between capacity and picture quality. We recommend that, going forward, the BBC should undertake robust subjective audience research to support decisions regarding the picture
resolution of TV channels. Lower picture resolution might result in poorer pictures, but the BBC should test where the consumer acceptability threshold lies.

1.22 With regard to radio, given the simulcasting of a number of BBC radio services on AM, FM and DAB, there is a possibility of rationalising the number of transmissions in order to release spectrum and save transmission costs.
A review of the case for the BBC switching off some or all of its AM services should be conducted following the results of current tests of possible alternative uses such as DRM.

BBC Trust - "The BBC’s Efficient and Effective use of Spectrum"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/
review_report_research/vfm/dt_spectrum.pdf

Ofcom Consultation on the Future of Digital Television (closes 30th Jan)
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/november2007/
future_of_digital_tv.htm

UK's Freeview boxes could soon be obsolete
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/
january2006/freeview.htm