The switchover to digital terrestrial television wide frequency ranges were free, the so-called digital dividend.
Only ten per cent of the original required frequencies are now claimed by the television. The rest can now be used for other functional areas such as mobile communications. The frequency bands 790-862 MHz was auctioned in May 2010 by the Federal Network Agency to reach the rural area with high speed internet. Since the development of the wired broadband in many sparsely populated areas unprofitable for network operators, the frequencies are now used as the digital dividend as so to reach all citizens.
Greater Range of 800 MHz Bands
The Federal government has to set up a broadband initiative, to every Germany citizen to enable broadband access to the Internet. Only when the rural areas are supplied in this manner, may the expansion of LTE in major cities and metropolitan areas begin.
The digital dividend frequencies are extremely popular with the network operators. Transmitters in the frequency range to 800 MHz have a longer range than the sender, for example, 2600 Mhz range. According to experts, an LTE radio cell operating at 800 MHz has an average diameter of six kilometers, an LTE radio cell with 2600 MHz average diameter 600 meters. This is due to the physical propagation characteristics of radio waves.
The Expansion can Begin
The Federal Network Agency auctioned in May 2010, the digital dividend spectrum. The three major German network operators German Telekom, Vodafone and Telefonica O2 were able to bid on two blocks. End of August 2010 until the blocks assigned to concrete. In the spectrum auction in May, the operators had only offered on capacities.
Only a concrete black was auctioned. The first black, which lies in close proximity to TV channels, was acquired by Telefonica O2. Now the company is the nearest black was released. Telekom and Vodafone both received two blacks assigned by lottery.
Now that all of auctioned spectrum blacks are assigned to fast broadband is also on the land now in the hands of the company. Network operators can now have a more focused network planning and expand their networks quickly and on, “said Matthias Kurth, President of the Federal Network Agency over the Internet magazine.
Fast Mobile Internet In Europe
The exploitation of the digital dividend is not only a concern of the Federal Government. The European Union sees this as an important step towards the universal coverage of broadband internet. Not only access for all Europeans to fast, mobile Internet will be achieved through the coordinated use of the digital dividend. In this way, even a single European market will be created. Currently, the European market is still fragmented and crisscrossed by borders. If it is possible to synchronize the wireless networks, EU citizens in coming year’s cross-border access mobile media content and mobile services.