EU Digital Dividend Consultation

The EU is holding a public consultation on the Digital Dividend. The consultation document says setting standards for the ability of digital TV receivers to resist interference is a priority.

Regarding interference, the document says:

Setting standards for the ability of digital TV receivers to resist interference.

This could be achieved through a close cooperation of Member States in the context of equipment standardisation (CENELEC). A minimum quality of reception would improve the consumer experience as well as reduce the cost of other interference protection measures which would be required on future equipment operating in adjacent frequency bands.

It is important that any such minimum requirements be consistent at EU level in order not to create undue barriers in the single market for such equipment.

The consultation says that it is also a priority to ensure the availability of a compression standard on all DTT receivers sold after 1 January 2012 that is at least as efficient as the H264/MPEG-4 AVC standard.
UK Set Top Boxes (STBs) use the old inefficient MPEG-2 standard. Will we be seeing a second "Digital Switchover" after 2012 with old STB's being consigned to the dustbin ?

All citizens and organisations are welcome to contribute to this consultation. Contributions are sought particularly from private citizens, from representatives of Member States' authorities, broadcasters, wireless and mobile operators, the programme-making and special events community, and other users or potential users of radio spectrum affected by the Digital Dividend policy actions.

The deadline for submitting responses is 4 September 2009 and further information can be found at:

Public consultation on the Digital Dividend
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/ecomm/
radio_spectrum/topics/reorg/pubcons_digdiv_200907/
index_en.htm

PDF Digital Dividend Consultation document
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/ecomm/
radio_spectrum/_document_storage/consultations/
2009_digitaldividend/2009_0710_0904_
digitaldividendconsultation.pdf

How to transform the "digital dividend" into consumer benefits and up to €50 billion in economic growth for Europe?
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?
reference=IP/09/1112&format=HTML&aged=0&language=
EN&guiLanguage=en

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

Ofcom Consultation on the Future of Digital Television
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/november2007/
future_of_digital_tv.htm

Ofcom Digital Terrestrial TV statement
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/april2008/
ofcom_dtt_statement.htm