The Bundeswehr uses frequencies in the TV-UHF band (470 – 694 MHz) and has already received an allocation of frequencies for testing purposes from the Federal Network Agency. In a letter to chief regulator Klaus Müller, the coordinator of the State Broadcasting Commission, Heike Raab (SPD), has criticised the arbitrary progress of the regulatory authority.
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In a fire letter available online at Heise, the Rhineland-Palatinate media state secretary stressed, “It was agreed that the question of the military use of the TV UHF band is not ready for a decision.” Therefore, he and his country colleagues are “very irritated” that the regulator informed at the beginning of July about “the experimental radio allocation of two channels in the channel range 21 – 25 for the Bundeswehr at 24 locations throughout Germany”.
Proposed law: Police should be allowed to use facial recognition softwareCultural frequencies are in high demand
The “cultural frequencies” are currently allocated mainly for terrestrial digital broadcasting of linear television programmes (DVB-T2) as well as for the operation of local radio links as part of professional event technology. According to the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC), this should remain the case in principle for the time being. In its coalition agreement, Ampel has agreed to permanently reserve the UHF band for culture and broadcasting.
The federal government nevertheless wanted to keep a part of this spectrum free of charge for the Bundeswehr for the latest WRC in Dubai. Raab now complains that the actions of the network agency are not only contrary to the political agreements reached. There are also flaws in the chosen procedure: The Telecommunications Act (TKG) requires the responsible state authority to be involved in such allocations.
In addition, Rab complains that the regulator did not properly enforce the administrative rules for broadcasting. Representatives of the event industry were not seriously involved, although this was necessary to “protect the confidence of existing frequency allocation holders”. “A transparent, objective and serious assessment of potential interference, which should be investigated as part of experimental radio assignments, is not possible.” The experimental radio assignments were therefore unlawful.
Regulator admits mistakes
In Raab’s response on August 1, which is being broadcast on Berlin Circle and is also available on Heise Online, the Federal Network Agency regretted that it had already issued the relevant permissions for the planned emissions to the Bundeswehr “due to a misinterpretation of the telecommunications regulations” and therefore asked the armed forces to “abstain from the planned emissions until the States have had the opportunity to participate legally.”
Regarding the possible use of the frequencies by the Bundeswehr “for the use of existing NATO equipment”, the Federal Network Agency emphasizes that broadcasting on DVB-T2 frequencies “does not have full nationwide coverage”. The empty areas (white spaces) could possibly be useful for the military. To do this, evidence must be provided that the Bundeswehr neither disrupts the broadcasts nor “impairs the production technology too much”.
The Bundeswehr claims a total of at least 40 MHz of the UHF band according to the controversial templates of the Conference of Prime Ministers. Its former president, the State Chancellery of Lower Saxony, told Heise Online that it was not aware of the corresponding proposal and that it was not on the agenda. The current Hessian president did not respond to a request on the subject within two weeks.
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