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Probably should change to Cable + IPTV. MMDS is now broadcasting history

  • 18-10-2025 05:38PM
    #1
    PixelCrafter
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 830 ✭✭✭


    Just a minor comment, but is there any point in mentioning MMDS on the title of the forum?

    MMDS is gone more than a decade ago at this stage, and is basically a broadcasting history topic.



Comments

  • #2
    The Cush
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 16,575 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    Officially ended April 2016. That said they began to shut down transmitters from autumn 2015.

    A service that existed for 25+ years.

    Personally I'd keep it for posterity as we were one of the few European countries to use it for wireless cable TV, iirc Iceland, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania and the island of Madeira Portugal were the others.

    Post edited by The Cush on


  • #3
    channelsurfer2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,775 ✭✭✭channelsurfer2


    Yeah good point.broadcasting history might encompass mmds now?



  • #4
    galtee boy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,641 ✭✭✭galtee boy


    That damn MMDS ended re broadcasting of UK tv by the deflectors, which was working fine, it just needed to be licensed and regulated properly, MMDS was line of sight, a branch of a tree would block it. We had the 4 Welsh channels re beamed from the Galtee mountains, happy days.



  • #5
    PixelCrafter
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 830 ✭✭✭PixelCrafter


    Well, they could have just turned the deflectors into a commercial DVB-T MUX

    Obviously the tech didn't exist in the 80s, but you could easily have launched a commercial DVB-T system by the late 90s.



  • #6
    The Cush
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 16,575 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123917020#Comment_123917020

    Of course the deflectors ultimately got a reprieve and were licenced by Comreg, lest we forget Tom Gildea TD.

    Rolling 12 months licence until the spectrum was reclaimed for Irish DTT. By that time the removal of encryption from the UK PSBs via Freesat and FTA satellite was eating into the deflectors customer base anyway.

    Post edited by The Cush on


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  • #7
    The Cush
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 16,575 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123917156#Comment_123917156

    There couldn't be a commercial DTT mux with the UK channels without an Irish channels DTT mux.

    The first attempt at an Irish DTT service, Peter Branigan/ITStv iirc, failed to secure the necessary licence around 2001/02

    It would be another decade and another failed commercial DTT licence attempt for DTT to launch. Freesat and FTA satellite availability was well established by that time for a UK channels commercial DTT mux to be financially viable.

    During all this time, a 2008 EU regulation re the 2500-2690 MHz MMDS band had allocated that frequency range to mobile services, with a derogation for States using it for other services. MMDS subscriber numbers dropped quickly in the years up to shutdown.

    Post edited by The Cush on


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