Arqiva for sale

MA

Markymark 14 February 2017 11:27am

Arqiva's owners have decided to put the business up for sale, I wonder who will take on Britain's terrestrial broadcasting infrastructure owner and what changes might result.

Not much can be changed, the international agreements for UHF frequencies for high power use is set in stone by location, and no one is going to get planning permission to build 1000 ft masts anywhere, least of all within 'licence' distance of the existing Arqiva masts. (Hence the virtual monopoly)

However, as the article suggests, in the future when DTT has died a death, and 5 and 6G have all the UHF spectrum, will large masts in the middle of nowhere be the most appropriate use ?

We'll let the robotic workers of the future take care of that problem.

Robotic workers by 2027 ? I'll see you back here then.

IS

Inspector Sands 14 February 2017 1:54pm

Markymark posted:

Not much can be changed, the international agreements for UHF frequencies for high power use is set in stone by location, and no one is going to get planning permission to build 1000 ft masts anywhere, least of all within 'licence' distance of the existing Arqiva masts. (Hence the virtual monopoly)

However, as the article suggests, in the future when DTT has died a death, and 5 and 6G have all the UHF spectrum, will large masts in the middle of nowhere be the most appropriate use ?

Surely they'll still be some use for something? I'd have thought if everything does go onto 'non-linear' platforms then in a few years (and I doubt it will) someone will suddenly realise how economic it is to send something out to everyone from the top of a hill, or there'll be some sort of long distance mass Wifi.

As you say they're never going to get permission to build any masts again. Isn't that why Arqiva and it's predecessors kept hold of masts like Lichfield and Membury when they had little on them.

MA

Markymark 14 February 2017 3:15pm

Inspector Sands posted:

Markymark posted:

Not much can be changed, the international agreements for UHF frequencies for high power use is set in stone by location, and no one is going to get planning permission to build 1000 ft masts anywhere, least of all within 'licence' distance of the existing Arqiva masts. (Hence the virtual monopoly)

However, as the article suggests, in the future when DTT has died a death, and 5 and 6G have all the UHF spectrum, will large masts in the middle of nowhere be the most appropriate use ?

Surely they'll still be some use for something? I'd have thought if everything does go onto 'non-linear' platforms then in a few years (and I doubt it will) someone will suddenly realise how economic it is to send something out to everyone from the top of a hill, or there'll be some sort of long distance mass Wifi.

As you say they're never going to get permission to build any masts again. Isn't that why Arqiva and it's predecessors kept hold of masts like Lichfield and Membury when they had little on them.

Oh, I agree, the masts will certainly be of use, and I think terrestrial broadcast radio will still be around, I just don't think DTT will survive, and broadcast radio won't be 'big bucks'. Long distance wide area WiFi sounds appealing

Last edited by Markymark on 14 February 2017 3:27pm

DJ

DJGM 14 February 2017 4:47pm

If DTT is going away at some point in the probably not very distant future, what happens for those viewers that have DTT/Freeview as their only method of receiving TV broadcasts ... particularly older people that don't have or even understand the broadband/IPTV technology required to receive the various modern on-demand streaming TV services?

Many senior citizens would literally have nothing to watch on TV if DTT goes away without a equally easy to use replacement.

JA

JAS84 14 February 2017 9:03pm

^Freesat. But then you have the problem of buildings where you can't have a satellite dish.

IS

Inspector Sands 14 February 2017 9:59pm

Why wouldn't an OAP in 2025 be able to use some sort of internet based TV platform?

LL

London Lite Founding member 14 February 2017 10:09pm

Personally I think DTT will still be around, with a mix of linear and IPTV services. We live in a multi-platform society where viewers will still want some form of appointment to view tv either delivered via linear or online as well as on-demand.

If in the future DTT was switched off, every household should either have superfast broadband, DSAT or cable distribution to continue their viewing.

MA

Markymark 14 February 2017 10:40pm

DJGM posted:

If DTT is going away at some point in the probably not very distant future, what happens for those viewers that have DTT/Freeview as their only method of receiving TV broadcasts ... particularly older people that don't have or even understand the broadband/IPTV technology required to receive the various modern on-demand streaming TV services?

Many senior citizens would literally have nothing to watch on TV if DTT goes away without a equally easy to use replacement.

My 86 year old mother struggles with DTT to be honest, you're right, her generation will struggle with alternative platforms, just as they struggle with mobile phones, computers, cashpoint machines, and all sorts of other things younger people are perfectly comfortable with.

Unfortunately they are seen as unimportant by all the agencies that are only interested in 'sweating radio spectrum' to maximise revenue.

I certainly don't want DTT to die, but I'm afraid the fast buck boys are firmly in charge now.

DJ

DJGM 14 February 2017 10:54pm

Inspector Sands posted:

Why wouldn't an OAP in 2025 be able to use some sort of internet based TV platform?

Unless by then the homes of every OAP can have a reliable permanent fixed broadband connection installed at no extra cost, and suitable reception equipment (some sort of plug it in, set it and forget it Freeview over IPTV adapter if the TV they have doesn't already have it built in) with linear channels that can be selected using numbered buttons on a remote control, many OAP's will have TV with no channels to watch if DTT/Freeview goes away. They won't want to mess around with menus, EPG's or smart TV apps.

Yes there's Freesat now ... but that might also have given way to IPTV based solutions by then as well.

RK

Rkolsen 15 February 2017 4:37am

I think DTT and FreeSat will still be around for a good period of time. The format and standards might change but it's currently the most efficient way to get a message across. Your transmitting one signal to all and the connection rarely gets lost.

BL

bluecortina 15 February 2017 9:12am

Rkolsen posted:

I think DTT and FreeSat will still be around for a good period of time. The format and standards might change but it's currently the most efficient way to get a message across. Your transmitting one signal to all and the connection rarely gets lost.

I agree with you.

NG

noggin Founding member 15 February 2017 10:36am

Hmm - I think terrestrial TV Is with us for a while yet. It's still the most popular TV platform in the UK (particularly when it comes to second TVs), and iPlayer-style viewing is still a small minority of TV viewing. (If you drill down the stats for iPlayer etc. you find out just how dominant linear TV - and linear TV PVR - viewing is)

Sure - paid streaming services like Netflix and Amazon have a place - but I don't see them displacing broadcast TV just yet.

Given that, in Europe, 500/600MHz frequencies look to be being protected, I think the march for mobile broadband may have slightly abated.

If anything I can see pay-TV shifting away from satellite towards IP delivery - mainly because Pay-TV has no requirement to guarantee universal access in the way broadcasters like the BBC do.

(February 2017)