What it’s all about
The event industry is up in arms! And this is what everyone should do about it, at least everyone who wants to continue seeing their stage productions and television shows, sports events or news – whether live, on television or on the Internet, produced to the exacting standards that everyone expects. Why so? Because the political decisions that have led to the frequency auctions in Europe ultimately, affect us all. Every single citizen! And there could be more of these types of decisions to come. Is it right that poorly advised politicians should be permitted to take decisions that run contrary to our, the creative and cultural sector’s, interests?
The frequencies that have been auctioned in recent years have traditionally been used by television broadcasts, wireless microphones and by other wireless means of production. After the auction of the “digital dividend 2”, as it is known to experts, these users had to give way. Actors, sports reporters, reporters, show hosts, technicians – all cherished professionals on and off the stage, at the microphone, in front of the camera, in the studio, are, increasingly, collectively concerned.
Politicians have, perhaps inadvertently, been sold the idea of a one-sided mobile (read smartphone and tablet) world; the frequencies recently sold will, in the future, be used for the expansion of broadband mobile networks. But do we want to live in a world where everyone can enjoy fast internet access with their smartphones and tablets, but we can no longer experience sports, cultural and show events or live coverage produced to the high quality and standards that they are today? What is more important? Quality of service, or quality of experience?
What should we consume or download from the Internet with our high data rates on our mobile devices? And especially tragic: in only a few exceptional cases will the auctioned frequencies really help to make access to the Internet that much faster, if indeed it will give access at all, to those located in rural locations. Politicians have, as yet, not embraced the seriousness of the situation: neither for the event industry, nor for the citizens that they represent. It should be properly recognized that the broad and diverse ecosystem that constitutes the entirety of the cultural and creative industries, secures millions of jobs across Europe and beyond.
- Wireless microphone users need quantitatively and qualitatively adequate amounts of frequency spectrum for their diverse applications at any given time or location.
- There must not be a one-sided preference for mobile radio in frequency assignments.
- In Europe, it must remain possible in the future to produce elaborate theatrical performances, live music, stage and TV shows with current, state of event technology.
- Reporters must be able to report on any event from any location with their wireless microphones without restriction and without prior authorization.
- Wireless microphones must be able to be used at any time in the future, in order to reach a large number of people without technical knowledge and great effort. Example use cases here include lectures at colleges, seminars and conferences, party conferences or performances in kindergartens and schools.
Even in the private sector, it must still be possible to use wireless microphones, be it amateur bands, DJs, birthdays or weddings. Wireless microphones must not be reserved for professional users only!
Users and manufacturers need planning security. They must be able to rely on the fact that they can use the spectrum assigned to them permanently and without interference from third parties.
The “SOS – Save Our Spectrum” initiative is committed to ensuring that the use of wireless microphones is not further restricted and additional spectrum is allocated for exclusive use by wireless means of production. In order to stop being displaced by mobile, it demands that the wireless means of production receive primary user status. SOS works to achieve this in parallel with organisations such as APWPT, which engages on this topic in the many technical and administrative forums and groups – such as CEPT and ITU-R.
Objectives of the initiative
Support us
The initiative “SOS – Save Our Spectrum” will inform the decision-makers in politics and administrations, as well as the general public, about the importance of wireless means of production and their need for suitable spectrum.
The expansion of mobile broadband coverage must not be done at the expense of the cultural and creative industries and, therefore, by default at the expense of the citizens. Cultural participation and education as well as the freedom of the press and expression must remain untouched. For this purpose, wireless production tools must receive access to enough interference-free and physically suitable radio spectrum.
The more people and organizations participate, the louder our voice becomes.
Join the initiative “SOS – Save Our Spectrum”!
That’s how you can support us:
- Share our posts on Twitter, Facebook and other social media.
- Tell us how you use wireless resources. We constantly need data from the field to convincingly communicate our concerns to policymakers.
The spokesperson of the initiative:
Dr. Jochen Zenthöfer, Luxembourg, zenthoefer@pt.lu
9, rue du Travail, L – 2625 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Representative EU: Patrice Chazerand, Brussels, pchazerand@gmail.com