How to Capture the Digital Dividend

How to Capture the Digital Dividend

Technical Considerations when capturing the digital dividend

The beginning of the great migration from analogue television broadcasting to digital television broadcasting technology can first be traced back to the late 1990s. The first transition to digital terrestrial television was initiated as a test in the United Kingdom in 1998. The successes in the broadcasting of digital terrestrial transmission led to the adoption of digital switch-over by many countries around the world. Within the next 10 years, the whole of the European Union has embarked on the path to analogue switch-off. Since modern, digital terrestrial television uses less spectrum; migration to digital broadcasting platforms has freed up more spectrum and potential to transmit more services. This resulting increase in opportunities is called the digital dividend. As of 2020, only about 60 countries around the globe have yet to initiate digital switch-over. In other words, more than two-thirds of countries worldwide have transitioned, either entirely or partially, to digital television broadcasting. That is more than two-thirds of countries in the world are in the race of capturing digital dividend.

As the technology in digital television advances, more spectrum is freed for more services such as mobile services, mobile television, or wireless broadband services. It is therefore imperative for network operators, regulatory authorities, and broadcasters to consider the impact of the migration and new allocations of various services. The economic benefits from the digital dividend is unquestionable. Nevertheless, we need to be mindful of the potential technical implications with the digital dividend. Here are a few tips to consider, and essential know-hows when capturing the opportunites presented with more spectrum:

  • Plan to minimize interference in the radio communication systems
  • Know how the quality of your network is affected by the introduction of mobile telecommunication systems on the classic broadcasting frequencies
  • Ensure maximum availability of spectrum for your digital terrestrial TV and radio systems
  • Know how the digital dividend affects your competitiveness to reach your customers on the terrestrial platforms
  • Know how to re-plan the allotted spectrum for digital terrestrial TV networks optimally if the 700 MHz band is co-allocated between broadcasting and mobile broadband services
  • Conserve spectrum and ensure flexibility for future expansion and new technology developments

Learn how PROGIRA helps out clients capture the digital dividend and, or resolve issues from the digital dividend here.

 

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