Radio Mic Frequencies sold off

[Gavin Scott]

This news has been rumbling within the industry for years - but the Ofcom's assurance to users of 800MHz wireless systems has been overturned, and now small venues, equipment rental companies and other professionals will have to replace equipment - estimated in the following article to be worth £100 Million.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7870459.stm

Its shameful, really. There's no announcement yet as to what portion of the spectrum will be gifted back for use by the entertainment industry - which makes no sense whatsoever.

[Sput]

But aren't they paying off the people who bought the soon-to-be-naughty radio mics?

[Gavin Scott]

But aren't they paying off the people who bought the soon-to-be-naughty radio mics?

There's serious doubt as to the veracity of that commitment, as there may be quantitative stipulations or lengthy rebate applications. For small touring companies and the like it will cost up to a couple of grand upfront to replace decent kit.

The biggest problem is that wherever they cram the replacement band may end up varying around the country.

It'll be like the days of VHF when passing taxis interrupted the soloist's high note.

[dosxuk]

They're talking about setting aside sufficient money (in their opinion) to replace or adapt existing equipment which is affected by the frequency change, which will be funded by selling off the current spectrum. There are however, two small restrictions already announced:
1) You must already own the equipment before the date of the announcment
2) You must be a fully paid up licenced user of the equipment, before the date of the announcement. Licence free equipment is not included in this deal

If anyone (mistakenly / accidentally) buys and licences kit now, they won't recieve a penny from OfCOM. OfCOM have said they have about 1700 licences in force, and only those will be able to get funding. There is also an expectation that they won't make money available to replace life-expired kit, which means if they drag the changeover out to 2012, they can say most of the kit is life expired as it's 5 years old or more.

The "paying-off" is just a way of sweetening the deal, without actually doing anything when you look at the terms.

Edit: More info here: www.blue-room.org.uk

[Alexia]

I remember doing a pantomime and the rehearsals being interrupted by Roy Chubby Brown over the road in another venue. "We're Off To See The Wizard" was suddenly replaced with "fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck".