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<DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri>That applies to your FM as well Tony (they
can require it turned off at any time if it is causing serious technical issues
or interference arise). But it's a risk to base a serious
business plan on a 9 month licence with a 'hope' that in reality it would be
extended.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri>I can see the value in 'putting down a marker',
but that could be equally well done with a letter to Ofcom (which we did about 3
years ago when the software defined radio system became easy to implement). I
have real doubts over the true value to 'the industry' of these trials
as trials, as opposed their potential value as a 'shoe-in' for people
who want to start as soon as possible, which Ofcom says they are not.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri>I'm also dubious about the value of 'proving
ability' in the way of RSLs. The real ability neede din all cases is the
resources and commitment to produce and deliver good value
programme content day-in day-out, and the trials will not assess that if they
are based on simulcasts, as seems likely. (When we were starting up we
judged that doing RSLs would be a huge and unecessary drain on human and
financial resources compared with producing shows in a studio on a regular
basis without worrying about their transmission, which is a mechanical process
needing relatively little human effort and commitment compared with programme
production, and I think that proved true.)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri>Technical tests on the performance of DAB in any
given area are obviously useful to an extent, but pilots aren't terribly likely
to be helpful to other stations, since everyone's circumstances
differ. Propagation prediction software and experience from existing
stations provides a broad guide, but beyond that an actual test is needed in the
actual area concerned, so 10 stations testing the idea in their areas is of
limited value to others for technical purposes. The best we can hope is that
Ofom makes sure there is a good spread of terrains involved, ie only one or
two in open countryside, a couple in flat urban areas, a couple in hilly
urban areas and a couple in mountainous terrain, or something like that, in each
case trialling multiple transmitters, since there is not really anything much
left to prove with single transmitters. There would be little point setting
up multiple trials in flat town centres or rolling open
countryisde.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri>Testing of multiplexing of multiple services is
also pretty much a waste of time, technically at least - lab tests
can prove that the system can capable of multplexing properly. The
only other issue is successful reliable delivery of the audio feeds, be that by
wireless link, cable or IP data, but again those systems are all very well tried
and tested, and already in diverse use for existing STLs. The only likely
variables are down to issues such as Internet latency and congestion, and these
will vary for every single station configuration, so pilots tell you very little
of value to other stations in the real world. The big issues are licensing, tx
site and commercial arrangements.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri>About all the trial can do is hope to throw up a
few general lessons that were hitherto unsuspected. I doubt many of these will
be technical - mostly they will be lessons over the difficulty of getting
various bodies to colloborate, or getting realistic licence terms from Ofcom and
PPL. However, if in reality they will give an early start and a privileged
position to stations that have taken part when it comes to awarding long term
licences, they may be of value to the pilot stations. But that is not the
professed purpose of the trials.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri>Alex</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=ravensound@pilgrimsound.co.uk
href="mailto:ravensound@pilgrimsound.co.uk">Tony Bailey</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk
href="mailto:cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk">cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, March 07, 2015 10:25
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [cma-l] Small Scale
DAB</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=moz-cite-prefix>Actually, it can be turned off at any time if
technical issues arise - having said that, we were in Sheffield when similar
statements were made about Access Radio...<BR><BR>Tony Bailey <BR><BR><BR>On
07/03/15 09:25, Andy -Bay FM Radio wrote:<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite=mid:2enspdq1gnymtkbvr5xq606v.1425720320509@email.android.com
type="cite">
<DIV>I agree with Alex.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>All this expense to drive your listeners to DAB for 9/12 months with no
future guarantees and then have it turned off ?</DIV>
<DIV>Sorry but, i don't think it's a good business plan.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Andy.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV style="COLOR: #575757; FONT-SIZE: 9px">Sent from Samsung
Mobile</DIV></DIV><BR><BR>-------- Original message --------<BR>From: <A
class=moz-txt-link-abbreviated
href="mailto:tlr@gairloch.co.uk">tlr@gairloch.co.uk</A> <BR>Date:06/03/2015
2:28 PM (GMT+00:00) <BR>To: David Duffy <DAVID@THERADIOPEOPLE.CO.UK>,Alan
Coote <ALAN.COOTE@5DIGITAL.CO.UK><BR>Cc: CMA-L
<CMA-L@COMMEDIA.ORG.UK><BR>Subject: Re: [cma-l] Small Scale DAB <BR><BR>
<DIV>Also bear in mind the fact that these are time limited trials with a
9-month *maximum* and explicitly no guarantee of continuation or future
relicensing. Isn't that the biggest business risk to any long term
agreements? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Alex </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="POSITION: relative; BORDER-LEFT: blue 1px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-LEFT: 0px"
type="cite">On 06 March 2015 at 14:03 David Duffy
<david@theradiopeople.co.uk> wrote: <BR><BR>
<DIV>Great advice. I would further recommend that as a multiplex operator
you should build your business plan on the assumption that any other
services you carry may go bust and, if you are charging them for carriage,
take payment monthly in advance. That’s why we’re creating a list of
content providers/service <A href="http://www.localDAB.co.uk/brokering"
moz-do-not-send="true">www.localDAB.co.uk/brokering</A> that are
DSPS-approved and ready, at a moment’s notice, to replace any services
that fail. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Regards </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>David </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><BR>
<DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">
<DIV>On 6 Mar 2015, at 12:04, Alan Coote < <A
href="mailto:alan.coote@5digital.co.uk"
moz-do-not-send="true">alan.coote@5digital.co.uk</A>> wrote:
</DIV><BR class=Apple-interchange-newline>
<DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri, sans-serif; WORD-WRAP: break-word; FONT-SIZE: 15px">
<DIV>
<DIV>We were approached a while ago by 2 content producers about teaming
up and sharing airtime on a multiplex. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>After a lot of phone calls, Ofcom confirmed that DSPS licenses are
required by each service provider, even if they are sharing air
time. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>However, in our case the multiplex owner wanted a single contract
with a holding company rather than deal with individual DSPS holders.
They felt it gave them better security. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>This highlighted several issues of working with other companies on
a DAB multiplex whose financial stability we had to rely on.
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I’d suggest that stations should carefully consider what happens if
the partner companies don’t pay their way or go out of business. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>And, it may be worth getting professional advise about setting up a
limited liability broadcast company to protect the underlying community
station. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Kind Regards </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14px">
<DIV class=Email><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 15px">Alan<BR></SPAN></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV> </DIV><BR>
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