Ofcom ready to start bidding for mobile TV spectrum

Mobile TV could soon be coming to the UK, with the news that Ofcom is planning to release spectrum which it says is appropriate for mobile telly. It plans to sell off the spectrum by auction, scheduled for the end of this April, while operators will need to get their applications in by 10 April.

The so-called L-Band spectrum, 1452 – 1492 MHz, can be used for “mobile multimedia services including mobile TV which could be deployed using a variety of technologies” Ofcom said. The spectrum will be sold off on a technology neutral basis and licences will be tradeable.

With almost all of the operators piloting some form of broadcast TV, I wonder if this release of spectrum will the auction winner move from test phase to a full-on commercial service launch.