Ofcom has published details of the parameters it will be setting for the introduction of White Space services adjacent to the UHF TV band.
In a consultation document, the regulator says it will be taking an initially cautious approach, but believes it may later be able to relax the parameters as more experience is gained.
This autumn a pilot programme around the UK will comprise a number of trials by a range of service providers. “We will refine our coexistence proposals in light of evidence both from the pilot and from stakeholders with a view to finalising them in the summer of next year ahead of the launch of a full, nationwide solution in the third quarter of 2014,” said Ofcom.
The regulator has published a set of parameters and algorithms that it believes will ensure a low probability of harmful interference to DTT services.
The constraints required for DTT mean that the best performing white space devices can radiate at the maximum permitted power level in three or more 8 MHz channels at around 90% of households in the UK. This figure falls to around 70% for less well-performing devices.