Less radio spectrum for concerts and DVB-T2, more for the Bundeswehr. The heads of government of the German states are considering this. The corresponding document is currently available for resolution in circulation (i.e. without any in-person meetings). If it gets a majority, the German states will be going against not only the federal government’s coalition agreement, but also the World Radio Conference (WRC). The international tug-of-war over “cultural frequencies” will continue in Germany.
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The World Radio Conference decided in December – in line with the EU’s wishes – to continue to make cultural frequencies fully available for broadcasting. In particular, in Germany this is about the TV UHF band (470-694 MHz). The draft proposal of the Prime Ministers’ Conference, available online at Heise, states that “for the frequency needs of the Bundeswehr … a needs-based frequency spectrum of at least five radio channels (each with 8 MHz bandwidth) should be made permanently available for possible joint, coordinated use.”
Coordination overwhelms the cultural sphere
Shared coordinated use means that others can also use these frequencies under certain conditions. In principle, the EU is also working towards this Sharing radio frequenciesbecause it is a scarce resource. But for some people it feels better than that.
The frequency management required for shared use is not possible for everyone. According to Nuremberg high-frequency expert Matthias Fehr, many people use radio equipment such as microphones and other event technology that is used daily and in changing locations for the preparation and implementation of performances. A varying number of content with 100 percent usable and interference-free frequencies.This requirement would stand in the way of coordinated use.
The draft presented to the heads of state justifies the desire for more frequencies for the Bundeswehr by saying that they must operate radio equipment at higher frequencies permanently and for an unlimited period of time. The NATO frequency band (225-400 MHz) “does not allow any further development. Large exercises are not possible today, so the range in the TV-UHF band would mean considerable relief.”
According to the documents, the German army has focused primarily on three areas: Between 470 and 510 MHz, at least two radio channels will be needed for improved radios for soldiers and troops. In the middle section, at least one channel is required for networking command posts. And between 614 and 694 MHz, the Bundeswehr is once again targeting two channels “for networking tactical units such as vehicles.” Additional needs exist locally in military training areas and for limited times during maneuvers. The radios will occupy channels 1.4 to 5 MHz wide, so that there is always a protective distance to neighboring channels of at least 1.5 MHz.
World Radio Conference sets course differently
According to the World Radio Conference, wireless means of production in concert or conference areas should remain “secondary users”; according to the December decision, they should share frequencies with mobile communications. The armed forces and emergency services were seen as big losers. The coalition agreement between the German government parties provides for the UHF band to be permanently reserved for culture and broadcasting. Nevertheless, the federal government wanted to keep a part of this spectrum free for the Bundeswehr in preparation for the WRC.
Jochen Zenthofer, spokesman for the SOS – Save Our Spectrum initiative, criticises the plan, saying such plans represent “entry into the war economy”. There is “only” talk of five channels of 8 MHz, but with duplex intervals, guard distances and different channel grids, that would actually use 60 MHz or seven to eight channels. “This is a catastrophe for terrestrial television, the end of 5G broadcasting, and the death knell for many festivals,” Zenthofer fears. “Many events will no longer be able to take place in Germany.”
The declaration of the Bundeswehr’s need is completely incomprehensible, says the man, who himself used to work at a telecommunications company. There are free areas in the 700 MHz band that the Bundeswehr and NATO could immediately use in a European-harmonized way.
(DS)
