Business, Innovation and Skills written question – answered at on 14 July 2010.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
(1) what steps he is taking to ensure that those who own programme making and special events equipment due to be rendered redundant as a result of the clearance of the 600 MHz and 800 MHz spectrum are not left any worse off as a result of the changes;
(2) on what terms the Government will provide compensation to those in the programme making and special events sector whose wireless equipment will be rendered redundant as a consequence of the clearance and sale of the digital dividend spectrum.
Programme Making and Special Events (PMSE) users were given notice in 2005 by Ofcom that they would have to vacate channels 31-37 (600 MHz spectrum) and 63-68 (800 MHz spectrum) by 2012, and in 2007 that channels 61-62 (800 MHz spectrum) would no longer be available for use. Ofcom considers this an acceptable period of notice for users to react and are not obliged to offer compensation or to find alternative spectrum. However, Ofcom has said that most of the 32 channels retained for digital terrestrial television after Digital Switchover in the 600 MHz band will still be available on an interleaved basis for PMSE and it is confident there will be enough spectrum in individual locations to more than satisfy historic peak demand.
Ofcom will be able to say more about precise frequencies in specific locations later this year, following the outcome of negotiations with neighbouring countries.
After Ofcom's 2005 statement, users had legitimately been expecting to use channel 69 (in the 800 MHz spectrum) for PMSE until 2018, and therefore as Government agreed with a proposal to change the use of this channel, Government will ensure PMSE users will be compensated for being moved from channel 69.
This Government are now considering options on the appropriate level of compensation, taking into account how we can best ensure users are neither better nor worse off, what sort of precedent a compensation scheme would set, and whether it would be lawful. Equally important, in particular in the current financial climate, is the need to appropriately safeguard and make efficient use of taxpayers' money. A decision will be taken as soon as possible.
Yes1 person thinks so
No0 people think not
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