avzombie.com

Broadcast regulator Ofcom has categorically rejected calls to turn over a portion of the TV spectrum to terrestrial HD, when the analogue TV network shuts down in 2012. Ofcom chief Ed Richards told a broadcasting conference: “We are not yet persuaded by the case, argued predominantly by the ‘High Definition for All’ campaign, that the best and only way to maximise the economic and social benefit of the spectrum released by digital switchover is simply to gift some or all of it to the broadcasters for high definition broadcasts for free.”
Richards maintained that advice Ofcom has received which suggests that existing Freeview spectrum can be used to offer Freeview HD was sound. Critics have countered that Ofcom has simply not understood the data put before it.
It now looks increasingly likely that the entire available TV spectrum will be put up to auction, with the likely outcome that it will be obtained by a telecoms operator.