European Companies Test LTE Supplemental Downlink Technology in TV Band

Qualcomm, Nokia and Finnish broadcaster Yle planned to do the world's first demo of LTE supplemental downlink (SDL) technology in a TV band, they said Friday. The technology is expected to offer “new opportunities for broadcasters, which is also technically viable and does not harm Digital Terrestrial Television,” the companies said in a news release. The demo was slated for the Nokia Executive Experience Center in Espoo, Finland, Friday afternoon Finland time. “There has been a push in recent years by European countries to utilize the 700MHz band for mobile communications, which is supported by the European Commission in an overall EU strategy for the broadcast band,” the companies said. Roberto Viola, a European Commission official, said in the release that "this sends a clear signal to industry players and policy makers that there are many opportunities for broadcasters and their partners for using spectrum to foster a future-proof ecosystem in the UHF band.”