Ofcom Proposes Filters to Stop Interference Between 800 MHz LTE and Digital TV

Ofcom, the official telecoms regulator for the UK, proposed several remedies to address potential interference between LTE and digital TV broadcasts. In March, Ofcom set out plans to auction 800 MHz spectrum for 4G mobile services next year. The 800 MHz spectrum is adjacent to the frequencies used for digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcasting.



Ways to address this potential interference include the following.



In some cases viewers will have to fit a filter to their TV aerial. These filters block the signals that interfere with TV reception and should solve most of the interference cases. Ofcom plans to offer consumer information to help.



Ofcom proposes that the majority of the costs should be borne by the future 800 MHz licensees.



In a very small number of cases – less than 0.1% of DTT viewers – filters may not solve the problem. Ofcom is considering a number of options to address the problem which may require some viewers to change platforms. Ofcom is carrying out more research into this issue and expects to publish a further consultation in the autumn.



The consultation, which closes on 11 August. http://media.ofcom.org.uk/http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/coexistence-with-dtt/