Broadcasters raise concerns of 5G ‘disruptions’ as guard band narrows: Report
Broadcasters had earlier notified the government that they needed a space of 100 MHz between 5G and their services to ensure the quality of their transmissions
As 5G services are set to be rolled out across India, the broadcasters have raised concerns about disruptions reported by operators in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, according to media reports. The launch of 5G will cause the guard band to narrow between telecom and broadcast frequencies, leading to disruptions.
Broadcasters had earlier notified the government that they needed a cushioned space of 100 MHz between 5G and their services to ensure the quality of their transmissions. Hence, if the telecom frequencies end at 3600 MHz, broadcast frequencies should ideally begin at 3700 MHz, with a 100 MHz gap between the two.
The government had alotted a 30 MHz guard band space, which was changed to 70 MHz at the request of the broadcasters. However, it is still 30 MHz short and may cause disruptions in services. Broadcasters had earlier said that while they are not against the roll out of 5G services in India, it should not interrupt satellite TV viewing.
In broadcasting parlance, a guard band refers to a narrow frequency range that serves as a gap between two ranges of wider frequencies. The gap ensures that communication channels that are simultaneously used do not interfere with or cause disruptions in each other. These disruptions may lead to poor-quality transmissions.
