In today’s wireless information society, spectrum access is a key prerequisite for introducing new services. Demand for access to the spectrum is all but certain to increase in the broadcasting frequency ranges, as well. The digitalisation of broadcasting kindled interest in utilising the broadcasting spectrum for other services. This has helped mould the new concept of “digital dividends” and has sparked efforts to introduce numerous supplementary broadcasting services.
The growing trend toward flexibility is evinced by spectrum trading, the WAPECS concept and the so-called mask concept (RRC-06), which enables practically any service to operate under the mask of a broadcasting service. These innovations hint at a great number of complex compatibility issues in future between broadcasting and other services. This tendency of increasingly complicated joint use of broadcasting frequency ranges constitutes an ever greater challenge for frequency-management experts. It is more important than ever to ensure that consumers enjoy problem-free reception of broadcast content.
IRT examines the impact of new services on the broadcasting spectrum. We also represent the interests of Germany’s public broadcasters on all key committees of the ITU, CEPT and EBU. In this regard, IRT is particularly committed to the World Radio Conferences (WRCs) and the preparations prior to them. These conferences take place every three years and are the best opportunity worldwide for administering and modifying spectrum utilisation.
IRT’s experience and extensive expertise enable it to investigate the compatibility of various systems with broadcasting technology. Moreover, our skills and contacts grant us an active role in defining spectrum utilisation on a global scale.
To name but a few examples, we examine compatibility between broadcasting applications and SRDs (Short-Range Devices), UMTS, BSS (Broadcast Satellite Service), air-ground communications, UWB (Ultra-Wide Band), military applications and wired communication networks.
Das IRT untersucht, wie sich die Einführung neuer Dienste auf das Rundfunkspektrum auswirkt. Es verfügt über die notwendige Erfahrung und das entsprechend breite Know-How, um die verschiedenen Systeme auf ihre Verträglichkeit mit Rundfunk zu untersuchen, aber auch über die Kenntnisse und Kontakte, um im internationalen Gestaltungsprozess der Spektrumsnutzung aktiv mitzuwirken. Deswegen vertreten wir in diesen Angelegenheiten den deutschen öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunk in allen wichtigen Gremien der ITU, CEPT und EBU. In diesem Zusammenhang ist das IRT insbesondere in die WRCs und ihre Vorbereitung stark involviert. Die in dreijährigem Turnus stattfindenden World Radio Conferences (WRC) bilden die wichtigsten Stationen bei der Verwaltung und Neugestaltung der Spektrumsnutzung auf internationaler Ebene.