WRC-15 Leaving UHF for Broadcast Helps the DTT Transition, WBU Says

The continued development of digital terrestrial DT TV (DTT) got a boost when the World Radiocommunication Conference-15 opted not to make any changes -- except for a few exceptions in Regions 2 and 3 -- to the 470-695/698 MHz band, the World Broadcasting Unions (WBU) said in a statement Friday. That no change gives European broadcasters "the required certainty" needed to invest in the 700 MHz band repacking the lower UHF band for existing TV services, WBU said. It also helps in the transition to such technologies as DVB-T2 and the introduction of more HD programming and services such as interactive hybrid broadcast broadband TV, it said. The status quo for the spectrum means broadcasters in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America and the Middle East can invest in DTT and finish the digital switchover, WBU said. And keeping the globally harmonized primary allocation for broadcasting in North America means broadcasters there can focus on the 2016 incentive auction and on DTT, WBU said.