10 years of the digital dividend

In 2006, the first rumours about a redistribution of radio frequencies, which had previously been used mainly by wireless microphones, spread. The industry was surprised. The German government promised to remedy the situation and found that it was powerless against the emerging superiority of international mobile phone companies. This was the actual birth of the APWPT, which was then founded in 2008 – also with the support of the DTHG.

Today the association celebrated its 10th anniversary in the Lion’s Cave at the IBC in Amsterdam, where many exhibitors do business with the conquered frequencies.
Perhaps this is a sign of the self-confidence that the APWPT has gained in the meantime or also of its arrival and willingness to compromise in and with reality.
The worldwide triumphant advance of mobile communications cannot be stopped; in the meantime, the events industry is digesting the second digital dividend, which means nothing more than the renewed loss of important frequencies.
Nevertheless, the association has achieved a great deal. It has become the international voice of wireless event technology users, which no longer only includes microports. The APWPT now sits at the tables of international standardization, standardization and regulation rounds and has mandates for the world radio conferences. There are now small new frequency ranges for the industry. – Nevertheless, the situation is technically highly complicated and the negotiations are extremely lengthy. There is no expert who can explain the international situation to a simple event technician in three words. That’s a drawback. The drudgery in the committees robs the association of the strength it needs for public relations and lobbying. Outsiders are watching and can hardly help. Because apart from the fact that the event industry hopes to receive as many frequencies as possible, it is not in a position to formulate how this is to be done.
Therefore it is good that the APWPT is one of the new founding members of the Interessensgemeinschaft Veranstaltungswirtschaft e.V.. This creates synergies with the major professional associations in the industry.
In 2008, nobody believed that the APWPT would last 10 years, but today its end is far from in sight. He’s needed.
HE.