[Lf] UK AM broadcasters concerned about ADSL

[Andre' Kesteloot]

> >From the Times,  September 16 2000
>
> BUSINESS NEWS
>
>       BT plans meet with interference
>       BY RAYMOND SNODDY, MEDIA EDITOR
>
>   BRITISH TELECOM'S plans for a nationwide rollout of
>   high-speed Internet services has come under an
>   unprecedented attack from the entire UK radio industry,
>   which fears that the planned network will cause
>   interference to millions of radio listeners.
>
>   The BBC and commercial radio have both written to the
>   Government expressing concern with the planned rollout
>   after testing by their engineers found that high-speed
>   ADSL lines - used for fast Internet access and
>   video-on-demand services - could cause interference with
>   both medium-wave and long-wave services.
>
>   Apart from local services, two of the UK's national
>   commercial networks, Talk Sport and Virgin Radio, are
>   broadcast on medium wave. One of the BBC's most
>   successful radio services, Radio 5 Live, which broadcasts
>   news and sport, is also a medium-wave service. Radio 4
>   long wave could also be be hit.
>
>   In an unprecedented move, the Radio Authority, the
>   regulatory body for commercial radio, and the BBC have
>   united to complain to the Government about the potential
>   danger of interference.
>
>   The problem is most acute where an ADSL telephone wire
>   comes into a home, potentially affecting AM radio
>   services nearby. Engineers believe that people living
>   nextdoor to a home with an ADSL line could also be
>   affected.
>
>   Broadcasters, who insist they are not opposed to the
>   spread of ADSL services, are particularly annoyed at the
>   alleged attitude of BT.
>
>   They believe that the potential for interference could be
>   removed at minimal cost by slightly reducing the power
>   used for the ADSL service, or by fitting a simple "choke"
>   to the wire, costing an estimated 30p each. BT, the
>   broadcasters claim, is refusing to adopt either measure.
>
>   Kelvin MacKenzie, chairman of Talk Sport, yesterday
>   said: "I think their position is wholly unreasonable. It is
>   another case of the huge corporation kicking the little
>   guy in the stomach. This could be a very big issue for us."
>
>   A senior BBC executive said: "I think this is a real issue.
>   We are very concerned."
>
>   But BT said that it did not believe there was a problem. It
>   said the ADSL equipment was manufactured to a world
>   standard and that extensive market research after a
>   commercial ADSL trial in West London had thrown up no
>   evidence of interference.