16.06.2006

Significant step towards mobile information society: television frequencies to be used more flexibly

The ITU Regional Radiocommunication Conference reached an agreement on the future use of television frequencies in Geneva, Switzerland, today. Among the top objectives of Finland and the rest of Europe at the conference was to obtain frequencies for digital usage so that they could be used as widely and flexibly as possible.

Finland's goals, resulting from the preparatory process, were outreached at the conference: we obtained frequencies for altogether nine nationwide networks adaptable for the distribution of digital television, radio or multimedia. Seven of these are on the television channels 21 to 69 (the so-called UHF band) and two are on the channels 5 to 12 (the so-called VHF band). In addition, Finland obtained frequencies for one regional network in the metropolitan area of Helsinki and for a few regional networks in the eastern parts of Finland. These frequencies have a capacity comparable to about 50 "traditional" television channels.

The agreement now signed allows the flexible use of frequencies: in addition to television, it is now possible to introduce such applications to the frequency bands that are compatible with other systems using the same frequencies. For example, the agreement allows the possibility to create mobile multimedia applications. Mobile networks, for example, could be used for implementing interactivity.

Depending on receiver characteristics and the efficiency of the compression method used, one mobile network allows the distribution of tens of different contents either to mobile receivers or multimedia receivers installed in cars, for example.

The agreement covers not only Europe, but also Africa and the Middle East countries. The agreement provides that the frequencies be used in 2015 at the latest except for a few exceptions. However, in Europe the frequencies can be taken into use even earlier for the purposes of the digital television, and for mobile and multimedia purposes. The EU is already drafting a plan on the purposes for which frequencies will be used in the future as well as how they will be used.

The Regional Radiocommunication Conference (RRC-06) held by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in Geneva 15 May to 16 June is a continuation to the conference held in 2004, where decisions were taken on the technical grounds used for drafting a frequency plan. In all, 118 countries submitted their frequency capacity requirements to the conference. The aim was to reach as equal an agreement as possible considering that there were almost 90,000 objectives to begin with.

Further information:
Ms Kirsi Karlamaa, Head of Public Mobile Communications and Broadcasting Division, mobile + 358 40 823 2121
Mr Kari Kangas, Senior Radio Network Specialist, tel. +358 9 6966 451, mobile +358 40 542 1031.

Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority (FICORA), Communications
Ms Anna Lauttamus-Kauppila, Communications Director, FICORA, tel. +358 50 563 5724