IBC 2011- AMSTERDAM. The broadcast and telecom worlds are facing disruptive changes due to the future mobile data explosion.
Speaking in a session on radio spectrum policy, Gabrielle Gauthey, executive VP, Alcatel-Lucent, said that in five years from now 70% of mobiles would be internet-enabled and 80% of traffic on those phones video. Data traffic in total will then be 30 times larger than it is today.
She added there is no business model in place to cope with this and indeed OTT players, the cause of these disruptive changes. Spectrum is badly needed and different parts of it are valued differently.
Gauthy also said that some developing countries, including Indonesia. Mexico and Kenya, have taken a different route to Europe in dealing with the spectrum issue. Rather than auction it – Europe has set a Jan 1, 2013 target for the 800 MHz sell off – they have decided to keep it and create public/private partnerships in order to get mobile internet quicker to rural areas.
Roberto Viola, vice chairman, RSPG (EU), secretary general AGCOM, meanwhile maintained that traditional broadcasting will still play an important social and cultural role in the future.” However, more efficient use of broadcast spectrum is a must.”
At the same time, Ingrid Deltenre, DG, EBU, called for a partnership between broadcasting and wireless broadband.
