Frequency requirements for future broadcasting: ABU raised the issue at APT Conference Preparatory Group for WRC-15 in Seoul, South Korea
The 5th meeting of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Conference Preparatory Group for WRC-15 (APG15-5) kicked off on 27th July 2015 in Seoul, Republic of Korea with the participation of over 500 delegates. The one-week long meeting organized by the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) is hosted by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, Republic of Korea.
Several APT Members, Associate Members, Affiliate Members and International/Regional Organizations are attending the meeting. Member Administrations and International/Regional Organizations are represented by an official delegation at the meeting.
ABU, as a non-member, is attending the meeting with “Observer” status. Over 153 contributions (12 Administrative Documents, 120 Input Documents and 21 Information Documents) have been tabled for the meeting received from APT Members. ABU contributed an information document to the meeting raising its concerns over frequency requirements for future broadcasting, consequences of less global harmony, scales of econmies, interference and all other services.
According to our ABU member broadcasters in Korea, spectrum issue has been addressed with due consideration for broadcasting needs. Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), the national broadcaster in Korea, with other terrestrial broadcasters in the country, have convinced the relevant parties and strongly lobbied the government and national assembly members of Korea of the capabilites and value of terrestrial UHDTV broadcasting technologies (over-the-air). The frequencies that have been allocated for UHDTV in 700MHZ band is a result of that hard work collectively done by Korean Broadcasters.
The ABU believes that the recognition and the allocation of frequencies for future broadcasting in Korea would be the foundation and the trend setter for other countries in Asia-Pacific region to act urgently then possibly followed by the rest of the world.