Frequency planning in the FM-band - Possibilities to increase consumer availability to radio (increased coverage) and make room for additional nationwide radio broadcast - PTS-ER-2008:6
15/02/2008
PTS conclusions
The National Post & Telecom Agency (PTS) has by The Swedish Government been assigned to make a technical analysis regarding the possibilities to both increase consumer availability to radio (increased coverage) and make room for additional nationwide radio broadcast. An important part of the study was to show how already existing programme companies was to be effected by the different alternatives, and here it must be said that a certain limitation was added to the assignment: already existing nation wide programs was not to be effected (at least not in any major way). As always, the costs of realising the different alternatives were also to be presented. An outspoken purpose from the Government is to increase competition within radio broadcast in Sweden.
The consultant Progira Radio Communication AB has aided PTS in this work and has put forward a report based on in-depth studies from three areas of Sweden. In accordance with the duality of the question posed above, the consultant has presented two scenarios: 1. increase coverage by increasing transmitting power, and by, 2. looking into possibilities of releasing spectrum for new users by re-planning the bands. The report can be found on PTS website but is not available in English. PTS regards the technical conclusions drawn by Progira AB as reasonable and accurate.
Based on the report from the consultant PTS comes to the following result: yes, it is possible to make room for additional nationwide radio broadcast, but not without some problems and additional aspects that need further investigation. The authority also believes that:
- it is not an alternative to increase transmitting power since this leads to all too many problems, for example coordination with other countries
there are two alternative ways of re-planning the bands: within existing frequency plan or by a total re-plan
However, the most realistic way to meet up to the needs is to re-plan within existing frequency plan, keeping in mind that even with this alternative there are several aspects that need to be considered before a decision is taken.
Technical and economical effects of re-planning within existing frequency plan
The effects on already existing programme companies are estimated as follows:
PLR: large depending on the fact that a new nationwide radiobroadcast is mainly to be realised in their bands
Local radio for community activities: partly because new nationwide radiobroadcast can have effects on a further development of this type of broadcast radio
Existing nation wide programs: small/limited depending on the outcome of coordination
By using existing infrastructure coverage of 73% can be realised. If coverage should be increased more than that (same coverage as existing national programme P1 i.e. 90%) it will inflict additional costs of about 130MSEK .