Mexico. In January, the deadline finally arrives for the start of the first cessation of analog FM radio signals to transition to their digital format in one of the Nordic countries, in this case Norway. It was just yesterday, almost two years after the announcement of the process that the transition would begin.
The decision is based, in part, on arguments that the cost of radio transmission over digital networks is currently eight times lower than in FM, and in turn, recognizing that the transition will favor plurality, diversity and quality in the content transmitted.
In addition, the context of technological adoption under which this process of transition to digital signals began was that the majority of the population already had the means to receive the signals through new platforms with levels of coverage, access, adoption and purchasing power of the population that are among the first places in the world.
This public policy already applied to analog television, now constitutes a new chapter of lessons for Mexico in search of technological, economic and social efficiency, when moving towards digital networks and platforms for the transmission of communications and content.
Experience in Mexico
This contrasts with the national environment, since while this process takes place in the international environment, in our country the regulatory body organizes to tender concessions and analog radio frequencies during this year, 191 FM frequencies for commercial use and still considers it reasonable to grant licenses to operate 66 AM radio frequencies.
Technology and Socio-Economic Reality
It is worth highlighting the manifest geographical, demographic and socioeconomic differences (among many others) of Mexico and Norway for the implementation of communications policy.
Thus, after completing the transition to digital terrestrial television in December 2009 for the case of Norway and six years later in Mexico, the implementation of this second analog blackout highlights the convenience that strategies for the allocation of the radio spectrum, seek to align with the trends and technological standards that predominate in the world, of course, all on the basis of the socio-economic reality of our country.
Since the reality is that in Mexico the processes of adjudication of spectrum bands that have proven their efficiency to provide connectivity services and access to new generation applications have been delayed. Such is the case of the 2.5 GHz band, still without a certain bidding date, the frequencies in the 600 MHz in the process of rearrangement, and the 700 MHz band that will be put into operation from the shared public network still in the making.
The elements presented here reveal the need for industry, public policy and connectivity decisions to eliminate the technological adoption gap in our country, to approach more efficient standards, capacities, platforms and technologies in the transmission of content and our communications, and with it, achieve a more efficient use of the radio spectrum.
We must avoid unjustified delays and leave behind public policy decisions that, due to their degree of technological backwardness, seem nineteenth-century.
It is not only a question of inescapably complying with legal mandates for the allocation of an essential resource such as the radio spectrum for the development of telecommunications, but of constituting a true digital strategy of medium and long term that takes advantage of the dynamic technological capacities in communications, for its integral social use.
Text written by Ernesto Piedras, from The Competitive Intelligence Unit.
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