Presented at UK Spectrum Policy Forum – Cluster 2 meeting 'DTG DSA Forum and discussions on PMSE' held on Thursday 9th July 2015 at DTG offices Presented by Alan March, Product Management - Pro & Head of Spectrum Affairs, UK, Sennheiser UK Ltd

2. PMSE – How to maintain content creation industry growth in a
contracting spectrum landscape?
Alan March – Head of Spectrum Affairs – Sennheiser - UK

3. 3 | Tech UK Cluster 2 @ DTG 9th July 2015
It’s Busy Out There…
• A typical example of a modern day audio PMSE production is a very well known
TV ‘talent’ show consumed /watched by millions of TV viewers
• It utilises 47 Production Frequencies in the 700 MHz Band alone – 118 in total
across pretty much all of the 500, 600 and 700 MHz band
• When the 700 MHz band has gone and DTT is repacked (resulting in even less
white space/interleaved frequencies in 470-694 MHz band) how will this quality
of production be maintained – will it even be possible? Is this progress?
• How will the future look? Let’s see….

4. 4 | Tech UK Cluster 2 @ DTG 9th July 2015
The Challenge…a future for PMSE in the UHF TV Band?
TV Kanal 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69
TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV IMT - LTE IMT - LTE
2 2 9 11 10 6 7 1 4 8 9 3 6 5 1 1 4 3 7
TV Kanal 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69
TV Planung TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV IMT - LTE IMT - LTE
Pre 700 MHz clearance 27 x 8 MHz blocks for PMSE deployment
Post 700 MHz clearance just 13 x 8 MHz blocks for PMSE deployment
Graphics courtesy of Norbert Hilbich – Sennheiser KG

5. 5 | Tech UK Cluster 2 @ DTG 9th July 2015
A Digital Future for PMSE?
 Question - Is digital PMSE equipment the ‘silver bullet’ that will solve the problem?
 Errr….no, not really – it might help in certain circumstances but; it is not suitable for all applications,
it cannot compensate for the sheer scale of loss of access to spectrum that is coming down the
tracks and, at present, 99.9% of all PMSE equipment ‘out in the field’ is analogue (zero digital In-
Ear Monitor Systems – IEM’s – for example).
 The answer has to lie in a combination of ;
A) Long term security of tenure for what whitespace frequencies are left in the UHF band - with cast
iron guarantees that PMSE will take precedence over whitespace networks
B) The identification and allocation of new frequency bands for PMSE equipment to operate in – in
all likelihood sharing with other existing services as there is no ‘virgin’ spectrum. Long term
security of tenure will also be required for any new bands.
C) The use of more efficient transmission technologies if and when they become available.

6. 6 | Tech UK Cluster 2 @ DTG 9th July 2015
Alternative Bands….
 CEPT Working Group PT D would appear to have identified 1427-1452 and 1492-1518 MHz as
even more candidate bands for IMT. This is a great pity as these bands would be highly suitable
for PMSE.
 However, within CEPT there are studies taking place into the feasibility of the 1518-1525 and
1350-1400 MHz bands being suitable for PMSE use.
 In the UK Ofcom have also commissioned studies into the possibility of PMSE sharing with the
Civil Aviation Authority at 960-1164 MHz and also Mobile Satellite Services at 1525-1559 MHz .
The main advantage of these bands are that they are highly unlikely to become candidate IMT
bands in the foreseeable future so therefore offer the possibility of a potential long term home for
PMSE. They are also globally assigned so offer up the holy grail of – ‘economies of scale’ to
manufacturers – one piece of equipment that can be sold the world over – perhaps.

7. 7 | Tech UK Cluster 2 @ DTG 9th July 2015
• However, sharing the CAA and MSS spectrum bands will not be straight forward
so new frequency planning tools and technologies to enable successful sharing
will need to be developed.
• And if alternative bands are identified outside of UHF, then comes the job of
persuading PMSE manufacturers to start producing equipment that can exploit
the new bands – not a straightforward task.
Thanks for listening !!
Any Questions?