Country agreement: Bundeswehr could capture part of the TV UHF band
The World Radiocommunication Conference wants to preserve television spectrum for DVB-T2 and wireless microphones. The federal states may have other plans.
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Less radio spectrum for concerts and DVB-T2, more for the Bundeswehr. This is what the heads of government of the German federal states are considering. A corresponding document has just been circulated (i.e. without a personal meeting) for a decision. Should it find a majority, the German states would not only be in conflict with the German government's coalition agreement, but also with the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC). The international tug-of-war over the "cultural frequencies" would continue in Germany.
In December, the World Radiocommunication Conference decided – in line with the EU – to continue to make the cultural frequencies fully available for broadcasting. In Germany, this specifically concerns the TV UHF band (470-694 MHz). The draft resolution of the Conference of Minister Presidents available to heise online stipulates that "for the frequency requirements of the Bundeswehr ... a needs-based frequency spectrum of no fewer than five radio channels (8 MHz bandwidth each) should be made permanently available for joint coordinated use."
Coordination overburdens the cultural sector
Joint coordinated use means that others may also use these frequencies under certain conditions. In principle, the EU also strives for joint use of radio frequencies, as this is a scarce resource. For some, however, this sounds better than it actually is.
This is because the frequency management required for shared use is not feasible for everyone. According to Nuremberg-based radio frequency expert Matthias Fehr, many radio tools such as microphones and other event technology used on a daily basis and at different locations require a varying number of 100% usable and interference-free frequencies for the preparation and implementation of performances. This necessity would stand in the way of coordinated use.
The draft submitted to the heads of the federal states justifies the desire for more frequencies for the Bundeswehr by stating that the Bundeswehr would have to operate radio equipment on more frequencies permanently and indefinitely. The NATO frequency band (225-400 MHz) "does not allow for any further development. Larger exercises are already no longer possible, so the TV UHF band would provide considerable relief."
According to the documents, the German military has its eyes on three areas in particular: Between 470 and 510 MHz, at least two broadcast channels would be needed for better troop and soldier radio. In the middle segment, at least one channel is required for networking command posts. And between 614 and 694 MHz, the Bundeswehr is looking for two more channels "for networking tactical units such as vehicles". There is additional demand locally on military training areas and temporarily during maneuvers. The radios would occupy 1.4 to 5 MHz wide channels so that there would always be a protective distance of at least 1.5 MHz to neighboring channels.
The World Radiocommunication Conference set a different course
According to the World Radiocommunication Conference, wireless production equipment in the concert or conference sector should remain "secondary users"; according to the December decision, they should share the frequencies with mobile radio. The big losers were the armed forces and emergency services. The coalition agreement between the German governing parties provides for the UHF band to be permanently secured for culture and broadcasting. Even before the WRC, the German government wanted to keep part of this spectrum free for the armed forces.
Jochen Zenthöfer, spokesman for the SOS – Save Our Spectrum initiative, criticized the plan as "entering the war economy". Although there is "only" talk of five channels at 8 MHz each, with duplex gaps, guard gaps and different channel spacing, this would actually consume 60 MHz or seven to eight channels. "This is a disaster for terrestrial television, the end for 5G broadcasting and the death knell for many festivals," fears Zenthöfer. "Numerous events will no longer be able to take place in Germany."
The man, who himself served in a telecommunications company, believes that the Bundeswehr's request is completely incomprehensible. There are free areas in the 700 MHz band that the Bundeswehr and NATO could immediately use in a harmonized European way.
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