Telekom, Vodafone and O2 Push to End Antenna TV in Favor of Mobile Frequencies

These ranges have so far been used for antenna TV. Should mobile operators gain access, this would mean the end of TV reception via antenna. Germany's established mobile network operators want to make antenna TV a thing of the past. Company representatives of the three network operators reaffirmed their desire to use the said frequencies from 2031 during the presentation.

ARD's Counter-Position

WIK study author Bernd Sörries emphasizes that after a possible shutdown of the antenna technology DVB-T2, consumers could also watch public broadcasters for free on the internet. "Es gibt keine Kostensteigerung aus Sicht der Endkunden, wenn man dieses Netz abschaltet." Sörries pointed out that antenna TV is linear television, which is going out of fashion — whereas demand for time-flexible programs on the internet is rising.

According to the study, an estimated 2.3 million households in Germany still use antenna TV, with a downward trend. Most households in Germany receive TV via a satellite dish or via cable TV. ARD, the consortium of public broadcasters in the Federal Republic of Germany, sees things differently.

In German households, DVB-T2 is still used by the millions, and usage is not declining, the ARD management stated. The broadcasters also criticized that mobile communications are already extensively equipped with frequencies. Additional use of the frequencies in question does not offer a sustainable solution for the expected extensive data growth in mobile communications. Rather, network densification with already existing frequencies is essential for this and could at best be postponed in the short term with the additional frequencies, according to ARD.

Authority Radio Communications as Another Factor

In addition, the frequencies used by antenna TV are essential for media production with wireless microphones. "Hierfür gibt es keinen gleichwertigen Ersatz," the ARD management stated. The public broadcasters thus fear, in addition to the end of a reception technology, restrictions on the production of programs.

Security authorities also play a role in the dispute over the frequencies. Security authorities also want to use low frequencies in order to build up a new authority radio network. The Federal Agency for Digital Radio of Authorities and Organizations with Security Tasks (BDBOS) explained, BOS stands for Behörden und Organisationen mit Sicherheitsaufgaben, meaning for instance the police. For future broadband mobile voice and data communication, it is seeking an allocation. The focus is on a band in the 600-megahertz range, which the agency would like to share with the Bundeswehr. Spectrum in other frequency ranges is currently not an option for implementing BOS broadband communication.

Next Steps at the International Level

The mobile communications companies want the authorities to use their established mobile networks and pay money for it. From an economic perspective, allocating the frequencies to mobile networks would be advantageous, the study states. Around 23,000 base stations would have to be built for a dedicated authority radio network, says study author Sörries. Such a network would cost more than nine billion euros and take more than ten years to build. According to the study, it would be significantly cheaper and cost only 1.8 billion euros if the authorities shared commercial networks.

The future use of frequencies is to be discussed at the World Radiocommunication Conference next year, after which federal policy would address the matter. Until then, it remains open whether DVB-T2 will indeed be history in a few years. Consumers do not have to prepare for any change for the time being; a concrete shutdown date is not planned.

Transmission via the internet is also possible, and demand here is rising. According to Sörries, the trend toward time-shifted use on the internet is clearly discernible. ARD, on the other hand, emphasizes that linear television continues to play an important role and that millions of households receive their programs via antenna. Which view will prevail politically is currently open.