Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last couple of decades or so, you’ll have realised that smartphones have taken over the world and being connected 24/7 is in high demand. 

But it’s not just our mobile phones, watches and TVs which are connected. Here at London Speaker Hire we stock a range of wireless microphones which allow your lead singer to roam around the stage at will! 

As such, there are now more users and devices using the radio frequency spectrum than ever before and unfortunately, it is the mobile sector which is being prioritised ahead of what is referred to as the programme-making and special events (PMSE) industry.

The performance and mobile sectors both use the ultra-high frequency (UHF) bands IV and V (470 MHz-862 MHz) as they allow for the best and furthest transmission.

These bands have traditionally been used by TV channels, with the white spaces (unused spectrum) being used for the likes of wireless microphones.

However, as the world demands more connectivity through 3G and 4G internet access, large portions of the UHF spectrum have been sold off to the mobile sector, making it much more difficult to get interference-free signal for wireless microphones.

Ofcom recently announced that they were going to clear another 100 MHz for mobile users in the next few years, which will mean that over 200 MHz will have been lost from professional users in eight years. 

There’s a very real fear that this could mean that wireless microphones and in-ear monitors (IEMs) may not be able to be used at some events due to the lack of interference-free spectrum.

So what happens next? Well, gear manufacturers are working hard to make sure that their microphones and IEMs which can operate within a much narrower frequency range.

While work is being done to ensure that we can still use all of our wireless gear and equipment with the increasingly limited availability, there will eventually come a limit. 

For this reason, Ofcom is now working to try and find a replacement spectrum for wireless microphones to use, with the 960-1164 MHz band being suggested (it’s currently used by the Civil Aviation Authority). 

Pressure groups are currently working to ensure that more spectrum isn’t lost, citing the important contribution that professional wireless mics make to the UK’s economy and culture.