Ofcom is ready to meet any spectrum demand during London 2012 Games says Jill Ainscough

During the seven week event of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the demand from wireless technologies would be more than double within London, says Ofcom. London 2012 is expected to be the biggest media event in history as 26,000 members of the world’s media will arrive at the capital to cover the games. For organizing the London 2012 Games and for prompt coverage, London airwaves should be very carefully managed.

Since 2006, Ofcom, the regulator of the country’s communications sector has been working on this to make this event a grand success. The issue before the regulator is really a complicated organizational hazard never faced before by the UK. About 20,000 wireless frequencies are expected to be used for the Games in London which is more than double the number normally assigned in a whole year.

The use of wireless technologies like wireless cameras microphones, the use of walkie-talkies by the organizers, timing and scoring systems, commentary systems talkback systems for broadcasters all add up to the demand for wireless technologies. All broadcasters want to deliver the dramatic and close-up action to the global audience of over 4 billion viewers. How to get the gleam of gold medals and blur of world records to the living room of the viewers etc depends on spectrum reserves.

From cameras on motorbikes to camera crews inside the Olympic stadium taking pictures of world famous stars like Usain Bolt, Mo Farah or Jessica Ennis would be demanding more and more on the UK’s spectrum reserves. In a nut shell the demand for the airwaves would be increased by wide use of wireless cameras which would be used for taking dramatic and close-up action shorts, use of microphones, use of wireless communications by team members, officials, staff and organizers, wireless location, timing and scoring technology, sports commentaries and the use of wireless communications by security and emergency staff. How to meet the demand for more spectrum is the crucial question before the regulator. The spectrum within London which is being used at full capacity at present would be made available for the London 2012 Games.

Ofcom has devised a plan to secure additional capacity for meeting the demands of media, broadcasters and the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) during the event. There are four ways of achieving additional spectrum before the regulator. It could borrow spectrum from the Ministry of Defence on a short-time basis. It could make sure that the civil spectrum is used most efficiently and make use of the unused frequencies. It can also make use of the spectrum freed up by the digital switchover.

Finally Ofcom could use the spectrum that doesn’t need a license. Ofcom has been running a series of trials during 2011 and 2012 as to how to meet the increased demand for spectrum. Ofcom conducted tests at high profile events like the royal wedding of Price William and Catherine Middleton at Westminister Abbey, the Sail for Gold event at Weymouth and the Formula 1 Grand Prix at Silverstone. The regulator would be managing the airwaves during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The supply of spectrum is limited and the demand is so great that the management and allocation of the spectrum must be very efficient so that the interference could be kept at the minimum.

For this purpose Ofcom has built a state-of-the-art spectrum management system. It will manage the access to spectrum – giving access to those who need it and keeping it free from interference. Again to identify interference issues even before they occur, a modern sensor network has been built across the country.

To identify any occurrence of interference, the regulator is ready to deploy a large team of radio engineers. Experts from the European countries have extended their support to Ofcom’s field engineering. Mr Jill Ainscough, Ofcom’s Chief Operating Officer was confident that the demands from the wireless technologies could be met by Ofcom.

He said that already UK’s airwaves are among the most widely used in the world and the demand will increase substantially during the London 2012 Games and the country is ready to meet this unique logistical challenge and the firm is working hard to meet the demands of media and broadcasters and to make London 2012 Games a historic event.