The Future of Freeview Will Be Decided in Dubai at WRC23

As you sit down to watch I Am a Celebrity or the News on your TV via your Aerial over 4,000 miles away in Dubai the World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRC) is underway with 4,000 participants including delegates from ITU Member States and ITU Radiocommunication Sector Members representing international organisations such as Ofcom, equipment manufacturers, network operators and industry forums attending as observers.

At the opening of the conference Doreen Bogdan-Martin, ITU Secretary-General said “We are at an inflection point in tech history, and radio communications are at the top of the global agenda," “Equitably managed spectrum and the associated satellite orbits are among the best tools in our toolbox to make good on our commitment to build a digital future that works for everyone and for our planet."

So what does a conference thousands of miles away in Dubai have to do with you watching your favourite TV program on your TV via Freeview free of charge (subject to the TV licence) via your aerial?

Well on the agenda of this meeting that occurs every 4 years under international treaty on radiocommunications that dates back to 1906, when the International Radiotelegraph Convention was signed. In the 117 years since, the Radio Regulations have undergone 38 revisions and expanded to a four-volume agreement of more than 2,000 pages.

Those agreements set out the usage of the radio spectrum around the world from the frequency used for your wireless door bell to the signals used to communicate with the international space station and among the spectrum is the frequencies used to broadcast the Freeview services into homes across the UK and other digital TV services around the world via TV aerials.

This spectrum is under consideration at this meeting for reassigning to other usage mainly for 5G and soon to emerge 6G services meaning that the Freeview service delivered free over the air in the UK could loose its spectrum by 2030 depending on the decision taken over the next few weeks at a conference over 4,000 miles away.

There is little that can be done if the international committee at WRC23 agree to the changes they will happen the UK government Ofcom broadcasters and the public will have to comply with the international assignment of the spectrum and how we receive TV will change to a likely IPTV system via the internet and Satellite delivery.

The UK had its own direct to home satellite slots that it surrendered in the 1990’s when the BSB DTH service merged with Sky TV.

That orbital slot could have at the time helped deliver a hybrid platform of Satellite and Local over the Air services that would have made the impending Freeview switch less of an impact than it will be now but the then government of the day missed the opportunity.

As soon as there is a firm decision on the Freeview spectrum from WRC23 we will update you until then unjoy the challenges on I am a celebrity tonight.