Ofcom plans will lead to early HDTV launch

摘要

The UK's four public-service broadcasters last week finally accepted that Ofcom's proposal for launching high-definition television on Freeview was the most viable option available and one that would lead to the timely launch of HDTV on the digital-terrestrial platform. Their acceptance of the plan - which involves using existing capacity coupled with new technology (MPEG-4 and DVB-T2) - meant that both sides could claim that there had been a "win-win" outcome for the broadcasters and the regulator. With their allocated HDTV capacity, the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five will now be able to safeguard the future of Freeview, which would otherwise risk being left behind by satellite, cable and IPTV in the development of high-definition broadcasting. At the same time, Ofcom has sidestepped the need to grant free (or cheap) spectrum to the public-service broadcasters from the digital dividend, the capacity freed up by the ending of analogue broadcasting which the regulator proposes to auction to the highest bidders.