BBC reviews the efficient use of spectrum

A report commissioned by the BBC from Deloitte Touche LLP, entitled “The BBC’s Efficient and Effective use of Spectrum” has just been published.
Deloitte was asked to review the BBC’s use of Spectrum and to look at the challenges and opportunities facing its use.
Recently Ofcom refused to release additional spectrum to deploy HDTV services for the successful Freeview platform and this has caused the BBC to look at ways of fitting HD services into its existing allocation. Previously these allocations had been looked at on a multiplex-by-multiplex basis but the success of Freeview and the need to provide additional services has changed consideration of services to a stream by stream basis.
The Deloitte report suggests that significant improvements in the efficiency of the BBC’s multiplexes can be achieved on the following basis: More efficient coding and multiplexing; Reductions in the picture quality of service; The adoption of new technologies such as DVB-T2 and MPEG-4; and changing transmissions currently using 16QAM modulation to 64QAM.
The report suggests that the BBC should undertake robust subjective audience research to support any decisions regarding the lowering of picture resolutions and the probable consequential reduction in picture quality.
The full report can be downloaded by clicking on the following link:
The BBC’s Efficient and Effective use of Spectrum
Item added: 17th December 2007