Upgrading the Network to Digital: UK Case Study Stephen Baily Controller, Distribution Operations BBC Introduction

Upgrading the Network to Digital: UK Case Study Stephen Baily Controller, Distribution Operations BBC Introduction • Before Digital Switchover • Implementing Digital Switchover: – The Rollout Plan – The “Digital Dividend” – The Engineering – The Viewing Public • Introducing DVB-T2 • Lessons learned and current challenges Before Digital Switchover • Spectrum – UHF band – 470 – 862 MHz – Channels 21 – 68 – PMSE in Channel 69 • Services – 4 analogue channels at 98.5% population coverage, 1 at lower coverage – 6 digital multiplexes (DVB-T) from 80 transmitting stations; varying capacity and coverage Digital Switchover – The Plan PHASE One Three • Four year plan – 2008 to 2012 Two Four – 15 regions in 4 phases • Convert transmitter network from analogue to digital – Delivering more services – Releasing spectrum • Re-engineering 1154 sites across the UK – And build a few new ones • And convert 26 million households in UK Digital Switchover – “Dividend” Cleared PMSE Cleared 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 470MHz 862MHz • Spectrum – DTT in Channels 21 – 30, 39 – 62 – Mostly multi-frequency network, MFN (some small regional SFNs) – PMSE in Channel 38 – Channels 31 – 37, 63 – 69 cleared; the “digital dividend” • Services – 3 public service digital multiplexes at 98.5% population coverage – 3 digital commercial multiplexes (COM) with c.90% coverage Digital Switchover: Engineering … • Biggest single infrastructure project in UK broadcasting history; funded by broadcasters • Overall programme management by Digital UK – Co-owned by major broadcasters – Set-up for the purpose • Transmitter changes by Arqiva, the network operator • Within the BBC, re-build encoding “farms” for digital multiplexes – More multiplex capacity, more services – Digital now the essential service, requiring increased resilience What could possibly go wrong? Switchover: viewing public … • 26 million households in the UK • Information campaigns to prepare people for switchover – Managed by Digital UK – Regional, preceding transmitter roll-out – Helplines took c. 2 million calls • Targeted assistance for elderly and vulnerable groups – Managed by the BBC, funded from licence fee – Equipment supply and installation as well as information – 7.1 million people contacted, 1.9 million people took up the offer of help (c. £190 per customer) Introducing DVB-T2 • Original plan for DSO: – All multiplexes DVB-T, SD services 60% – 24 Mb/s or 27 Mb/s December 2010 • By 2009, new technology available – DVB-T2, 40 Mb/s; HD service possible • BBC converted one multiplex to DVB-T2, carrying HD services – At sites that were already digital – Plus 5 “advance sites” 98.5% • National roll-out of HD services then took place December 2012 alongside DSO Completion, and more DVB-T2 Cleared PMSE Cleared 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 DTT – COM7 & COM8 Mobile – 4G 470MHz 862MHz • DSO completed on schedule in autumn 2012 • DTT was then cleared from Channels 61 and 62 in 2013 • Further services launched – 2 DVB-T2 multiplexes, COM7 and COM8 (with up to 70% population coverage) – Multiplexes carrying local services in major cities Lessons learned? • Messages – Explaining benefits – Addressing concerns • Regional roll-out – Starting small – Taking learnings into the next stage • Specific focus on vulnerable groups Today’s challenge – 700 Clearance 700MHz Clearance 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 470MHz COM7&8 790MHz relocation • Channels 49 to 60 released for • Channels 21 to 48 – mostly MFN mobile networks – 3 PSB multiplexes • Channels 21 to 48 remain – 3 COM multiplexes available for terrestrial TV – Local TV multiplexes • Channels 55 and 56 (interim) • Channels 55 and 56 – using SFNs • Completion due in 2020 – COM7 and COM8 multiplexes Acknowledgements Grateful thanks to many colleagues in the BBC, Digital UK, Arqiva for their help with this presentation And also of course for DSO in the UK 13 Thank you.

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