NBTC official says keep band for digital broadcast
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To comply with the Asia-Pacific Telecommunication Band Plan recommended by the International Telecommunication Union, the head of the NBTC broadcasting committee insists that the spectrum range of 470 to 698 megahertz must be reserved for broadcasting ser
Natee Sukonrat, chairman of the committee under the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Committee, said yesterday that he acknowledged that under the National Frequency Plan, the 470-510MHz band was being used for telecommunication services by 10 state agencies, including TOT’s rural mobile service. TOT has more than 24,000 rural mobile users.
His message came after the telecom committee, also under the NBTC, said it planned to use the 698-806MHz band for broadband cellular service. The committee also advised the broadcasting panel to use the 470-698MHz band for digital TV instead.
However, under the road map for digital broadcasting licences for 48 TV channels, 510-790MHz is reserved for digital broadcasts.
To prevent a clash between the two committees due to the spectrum overlaps, Natee said his committee yesterday approved in principle making this confirmation and informing the Information and Communication Technology Ministry that the 470-698MHz band must be reserved for digital broadcasts in accordance with the international standard.
Representatives from the ICT Ministry will also deliver the message to the second meeting of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunication Conference Preparatory Group for WRC-15 (APG15-2), which will be held from July 1-5 in Bangkok.
Broadband service
Natee said that although only 10 per cent of the 698-806MHz band was being used by Channel 3, Thai Public Broadcasting Service and Channel 7, the band could be allocated for broadband cellular service once the concessions of those analog TV operators end or they switch off analog broadcasting and return their spectra to the NBTC.
However, it appears that the reallocation of the 470-510MHz band would take more than 15 years, while the negotiation on this matter by the telecom and broadcasting committees has not yet started.
On June 19, both committees will propose their separate plans that would bring them to the table under a joint committee to solve this problem.
