Spectrum Policies

The successful delivery of spectrum policies and the realisation of their potential is a priority for the Department, particularly in relation to the opportunities that the switch-over from analogue to digital TV broadcasting in the UHF band will present for Ireland after 2012. It is essential that we prepare the ground now so that we are well positioned to exploit the opportunities that the “digital dividend” will provide. Two exercises need to be conducted in relation to the Digital Dividend – identifying spectrum that is no longer needed by Broadcasting Services and identifying possible uses for that spectrum e.g. electronic communications or innovative uses. These tasks will fall primarily to ComReg with input from the BCI and RTE.  As a first step in this process, a paper on identifying the spectrum that will form the digital dividend has been published. ComReg will shortly be consulting on the possible uses to which this dividend could be put, the outcome of which will be important in informing policy choices.