Compatibility of DVB-T services and IMT-2000 compliant mobile telecommunications in the UHF band of 470–862 MHz

The spectral efficiency of the DVB-T protocol in comparison to the analog television systems will inevitably lead to the reduction of the UHF spectrum that is necessary for the current television broadcasts. Even if the number of available TV programs increases, or new services such as high definition TV (HDTV) are introduced along with DVB-T, there will still be more available spectrum at any given area than today. The spectrum that will be released by most European countries when the full digital switchover is completed in 2012 has been designated as ¿digital dividend¿ and is a matter of controversy between broadcasters and mobile communications operators that wish to occupy part of it. This paper examines the coexistence of DVB-T and IMT-2000 mobile telecommunications in the UHF bands IV and V that are used today for television broadcasting on a primary basis. The situation in which both services operate in adjacent (or even in the same) channels is examined on both technical and regulatory grounds, so as to take into account the International standards and rules for television broadcasting and personal mobile communications, as expressed mainly by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).