APWPT opinion 2025: Keep it as it is: PMSE must have daily access to high-quality radio spectrum in 470-694 MHz

To what extent do we want to support cultural and political life in our pluralistic and democratic societies in the future?

Long-term access to the 470 to 694 MHz band, free from interference, is vital for PMSE to produce independent, high-quality content that fosters social cohesion; enrichs cultural life; unlocks creative innovation; and increases Europe’s competitiveness and economic potential of the cultural and creative sectors. Importantly, PMSE operates independently of external infrastructure or business decisions, ensuring creators retain full control over their work.

The APWPT is calling for access to this spectrum to be maintained for PMSE beyond 2030. We will work closely with regulators and industry stakeholders to develop a long-term strategy to deliver growth in media and content production.

More than ever, it is crucial to support European values through content and creativity to promote sharing values and emotions by bringing people together in “real world” events.

Wireless PMSE equipment (Programme Making and Special Events) plays a fundamental role in cultural, education, entertainment and media organizations across Europe. In live concerts, theatre productions, broadcasting, sports events and political conferences, wireless microphones and in-ear monitors rely on stable and interference-free spectrum.

For many decades PMSE has shared the UHF band with TV broadcasting. This band is the core spectrum resource and provides unparalleled reliability, range, and flexibility. PMSE operates in the gaps between TV broadcast frequencies and is made available on this basis in all EU member states (and globally). This coexistence between Broadcast and PMSE is very efficient and works very well.

Along with TV broadcasting, PMSE has lost access to the 800 MHz and 700 MHz bands under two reallocations of spectrum to IMT. The remaining spectrum from 470 to 694 MHz is essential to deliver the cultural and creative events that Europeans enjoy every day. Any further loss of radio spectrum would damage the sector’s ability to deliver the events and productions that are the backbone of social cohesion and well-being along with economic and cultural value.

PMSE access to the 470-694 MHz band provides a sustainable harmonization that has been implemented in the European single market and provides huge benefit to the cultural and creative industries across the European Union.

Continued access to the 470-694 MHz band is necessary to maintain the long-standing successful use of this spectrum by PMSE and the cultural and creative industries throughout Europe

Harmonised access to the 470-694 MHz band encourages investment in PMSE technology; lowers prices; allows for economies of scale; and enables cross-border portability. The risk of spectrum fragmentation across member states is a serious issue for the audio PMSE sector — it increases costs, stifles innovation, and complicates cross-border operation. Preserving harmonized spectrum is essential for efficient, sustainable use, especially for artists and performers on international tours.

Events are already constrained by lack of available spectrum, even with access to the 470 to 694 MHz band. This has been noted by the RSPG and its recommendation to find additional spectrum to support audio PMSE. Additional spectrum should be harmonised across member states under similar regulatory and technical conditions as the UHF band.

PMSE manufacturers continue to innovate and explore new technologies. Studies and trials of 5G based on 3GPP over the last 10 years have shown that this technology does not meet the performance requirements of audio PMSE and is not considered a viable technology for PMSE.