TV WHITESPACE BASICS

Initial Considerations

1. Internet connectivity. Aside from the obvious need for backhaul for e.g. Rural
Broadband networks, TVWS Master devices must periodically contact a White
Space Database (WSDB) such as Nominet’s to request spectrum. Networks
which don’t have backhaul can potentially use 2G for this low-throughput task.

2. TV White Space Devices. We can put you in touch with several manufacturers
of TVWS radio devices. To operate in the UK these must be ETSI certified; for
customer deployments other certification such as CE marks may also be needed.

3. TV White Space Database. Nominet operate an Ofcom-qualified WSDB which

can grant your radios permission to transmit; contact us to arrange WSDB
access.

4. RF Planning. All the usual considerations apply when planning the locations of
your devices (radio propagation modelling, terrain, antenna directionality,
receiver sensitivity etc.) – along with additional constraints imposed by TVWS
availability. Different channels are available at different maximum powers at
different locations.

TVWS Availability

·1 TV White Space is spectrum left unused by primary users – specifically Digital

Terrestrial Television (DTT) and Program Makers and Special Events (PMSE –
e.g. theatres and outside broadcasters).

·2 TVWS users can transmit at power levels which will not cause interference to any
primary users. These permitted power levels in each channel constitute the
TVWS Availability.

·3 Devices will be given different availability based on their location, antenna

height, and out-of-channel emission mask.

·4 TVWS Availability adds complexity to the RF planning of a TVWS network, as

each device on the network will have different sets of channels available at
different power levels

·5 In the majority of cases PMSEs will have no effect on TVWS availability.

However, if the TVWS device is within a few kilometres of a theatre or outdoor
event location (e.g. a racecourse, or a golf course during The Open) then it will
be restricted in the used channels (and to a lesser extent adjacent channels)
to prevent interference.
 ·6 TVWS Availability is based on a single device in isolation. In practice,
however, at least two devices must be able to receive each other’s
transmissions. To establish a link between a Master in one location and a Slave
in another, each with their own TVWS availability, a channel must be available to
both devices at a high enough power level to be receive each other’s
transmissions. This is a classic RF link budget problem, but with the additional
complication of permuting through the different power levels at each location
in each channel.

Reference:

https://www.nominet.uk/researchblog/getting-started-tv-white-space/

https://www.nominet.uk/researchblog/understanding-tv-white-space-availability/