Hong Kong has entered round two of consultation over the use of spectrum for offering mobile TV services, and the Office of the Telecommunications Authority says now that it wants to allocate one license in UHF and two in Band III. Band III would be somewhere around 200 MHz, and the only other mobile TV service we know which uses that spectrum is the one launched by Digita in Finland. Band III has great propagation characteristics, over ling distances and over things like water.
The OTA says that once allocated, at least 50% of the transmission capacity of this spectrum will have to be used to carry mobile TV content during the first five years of the license, while the remainder can be used to provide other ancillary services. Obviously it is worried that some carriers there might be tempted to simply augment their spectrum holdings for voice and data services.
It also says that this spectrum will be allocated by auction, which will come with rollout obligations to make sure no-one buys it just to keep the spectrum off the market. Apart from that the OTA will operate a light touch in regulating content on the platform.
But like everywhere else it either has to be regulated under existing TV laws, under the region’s Broadcasting Ordinance or would be regulated via existing general laws with self-regulation, and that’s one of the areas that is up for discussion.
After receiving comments on its proposals, the OTA will announce firm plans in mid-2008 and then it says that some adjustment to the Telecommunications legislation will be required so that the auction can go ahead in early 2009.