Ofcom rejects use of analogue spectrum for HDTV

Ofcom, the communications regulator, does not support the use of the analogue TV spectrum, which is now being vacated, for broadcasting high definition TV in the future.

Ofcom’s chief executive, Ed Richards, has said that he would prefer broadcasters to use more efficient MPEG4 compression and the DVBT2 broadcast standard to provide high-definition channels over the existing Freeview band.

This would mean that high-definition TV could be available to Freeview households by 2009, significantly earlier than waiting for the completion of the analogue TV switch-off in 2012.

Ofcom’s view conflicts with the BBC, which would prefer to deliver HD over the internet. Ofcom questions whether this approach would benefit the general public.

Ofcom’s plan would require consumers to purchase new set-top boxes to receive high-definition channels, as current ones are not compatible with the MPEG4 format.

Sky is expected to be the first broadcaster to use MPEG4 broadcasts, via its new ‘Picnic’ three-channel pay-TV service.