TV vs mobile devices

[Deckerd]

OFCOM is currently planning to move digital TV from 700MHz to 600MHz to free up that spectrum for mobile devices but the debate has revealed some interesting stuff. The well-rehearsed view on this board that TV is on the way out is not borne out by the facts.

Freeview creates "more value per unit of spectrum" than mobile broadband and generates almost £80bn a year for the UK economy, as well as promoting competition by ensuring viewers have a choice of how to watch.

Linkydoodle

Also the idea that tablet and other portable device usage, which is still increasing exponentially is also increasing in profit, doesn't seem to be clear cut either. Buying into the new frequency, which is supposed to bring the UK into line with the USA and China, will be very expensive.

Their traffic is growing but the underlying revenues are not.

As one mobile phone company source put it: "We would like more mobile spectrum, but we're not gagging for it."

I've always been of the opinion that the anticipated rapid demise of broadcast TV was erroneous. It may happen some time but not soon. The appetite for real time broadcast has not substantially diminished in the UK at least.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

here neither, but in Germany both have always had different frequency bands.
I think the quality (or lack thereof, rather) is a much more important reason for people to watch less TV. If you have 50 stations which leave you to chose between Big Brother, a talkshow about the advantages of sodomy over child abuse, a 24 hour advertizing loop or the 128715th episode of a soap opera about a gay hobo falling for Chancellor Merkel (no offense to gays intended), you begin to find even a political debate refreshing.
When I moved, 1 1/2 years ago, I found that my cable provider doesn't serve this building. Somehow I still didn't get around to installing a satellite dish and so I only occasionally watch live streams on my computer if there's some really interesting topic (mainly astronomical, historical or biological documentaries). About once or twice a month. I can search as I like, there's just nothing interesting on, the rest of the time.

Admittedly, we tend to view our childhood in a somewhat mellow light. Yet, I think back in the 60s and 70s the TV programme was a lot better than today.