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Future of MMDS on UPC

  • 17-09-2010 1:01pm
    #1
    frankymail
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 122 ✭✭


    Whats is the future for MMDS on UPC. Will the service be upgraded to allow HD viewing or is the whole system due to be shut down and become obsolete?

    How does UPC tv preform over MMDS also and what does installation involve?


Comments

  • #2
    Kristopherus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,907 ✭✭✭✭Kristopherus


    UPC told me it is not possible to transmit content over the mmds system. That was a month ago when I queried them. And don't expect it anytime soon, if some of the comments on these threads are anything to go by.


  • #3
    steveon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,905 ✭✭✭steveon


    Hd over MMDS is possible but it would take huge bandwidth and so chanel lineup would be even worse than it is already.

    I personally cant see MMDS staying on forever and would see UPC going for the UPC Direct method which is transmission via satellite. This would also them better content and perhaps be a rival to sky ..


  • #4
    Kristopherus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,907 ✭✭✭✭Kristopherus


    steveon wrote: »
    Hd over MMDS is possible but it would take huge bandwidth and so chanel lineup would be even worse than it is already.

    I personally cant see MMDS staying on forever and would see UPC going for the UPC Direct method which is transmission via satellite. This would also them better content and perhaps be a rival to sky ..

    Of course the big question inevitably will be if RTE can operate from a narrow beam satellite, why not UPC go the same route as well, given the huge resources behind them.


  • #5
    The Cush
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,848 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    frankymail wrote: »
    Whats is the future for MMDS on UPC. Will the service be upgraded to allow HD viewing or is the whole system due to be shut down and become obsolete?
    steveon wrote: »
    Hd over MMDS is possible but it would take huge bandwidth and so chanel lineup would be even worse than it is already.

    I personally cant see MMDS staying on forever and would see UPC going for the UPC Direct method which is transmission via satellite. This would also them better content and perhaps be a rival to sky ..

    The current licence expire in 2012 (old Ntl area) and 2014 (Chorus area). There is an option in the current MMDS regulations to extend the licences for a further 5 years following a Comreg review which commenced back in May. Discussed in these threads previously http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055911838 http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055913083

    The submissions to the review were published at the end of July. Comreg will publish a consultation document in future once it has completed its review of the submissions.

    Attached is a redacted version of UPC's (the current licence holder) submission from the review


  • #6
    watty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    It's the spectrum assigned for LTE in Europe.

    I'd be kind of surprised if it's extended.


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  • #7
    watty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Kristopherus wrote: »
    Of course the big question inevitably will be if RTE can operate from a narrow beam satellite, why not UPC go the same route as well, given the huge resources behind them.

    UPC would be payTV. they don't need a narrow beam. They just need capacity and cheap. There are more satellites going up. It's possible there may be enough cheap capacity by 2014 or 2015.

    But you can't do good Broadband via Satellite. A national Fibre to the Home plan where UPC can rent off the Wholesale operator would suit them better.


  • #8
    The Cush
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,848 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    watty wrote: »
    It's the spectrum assigned for LTE in Europe.

    I'd be kind of surprised if it's extended.
    I'd be surprised if it wasn't but on a shared basis with less spectrum available to MMDS requiring UPC to move to more spectrum efficient standards such as MPEG-4, DVB-T2, DVB-C2 to maintain existing services.

    In 2008 an EU Commission Decision made the band available on a "technology neutral and service neutral basis" to terrestrial services. The Decision "designated and made (the band) available for systems capable of providing electronic communications services as defined in the Framework Directive (2002/21/EC)" ... "MMDS is a means of transmission and is covered by the definition of ECS in the Framework Directive".


  • #9
    watty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    That's EU double talk for WiMax or LTE can have it but Ireland can let UPC squat on it if they don't want the WiMax or LTE. Mobile WiMax is all but dead. The Mobile operators can outbid anyone interested in anything else.

    UPC upgrade of existing boxes > €5M, maybe €10M. Upgrade of bases €1 to €6M
    There is no simple way to swap Chorus DVB-T to DVB-C2.
    So UPC should spend €6M to €16M for maybe 80,000 customers that they can't give BB & phone to (LTE or Mobile WiMax won't do UPC quality Broadband, only Fixed WiMax or Wireless DOCSIS and that isn't going to happen with an Auction), with at least 2 or 3 years to recover the cost. It won't stop the drain of MMDS to other services, and even with MPEG4 and DVB-x2 they would have slightly less channels and no HD.

    Seems to me that UPC's best option is to spend nothing on MMDS till it's taken off them.


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