If the reception of the TV signal is not perfect, the problem could derive from an interference between the digital terrestrial signal and the 4G LTE telephone signal: here is how to solve it.
With the arrival of 2021, the "switch off", that is the transition from the old first generation digital terrestrial signal to the new DVB-T2 signal, has come to life. Millions of Italians, by the end of the year, will have to adopt the new system with a compatible TV (here is a guide to how to choose it) and retuning the channels several times.
In the meantime, always during 2021, we will also see a massive development of mobile connections on 5G network and, to a lesser but not negligible extent, to that of FWA connections, the Fixed Wireless Access that allows home broadband connection by making data travel on 4G LTE network (and in the future on 5G network). Soon, therefore, our skies will be quite crowded with electromagnetic waves that could interfere with each other. In theory, each service has different frequencies (with the transition to digital terrestrial DVB-T2, for example, will be released frequencies at 700 MHz for 5G), but the risk of interference there will always be in specific areas of Italian territory. For this reason, even in 2021, a service launched back in 2013 will come in handy: HELP Interferenze.
What is HELP Interferenze
HELP Interferenze is a service managed by Fondazione Bordoni on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Development: it is a site and a phone number, both free of charge, to report problems with the reception of the television signal due presumably to interference between the telephone signal transmitted on the 800 MHz band and the digital terrestrial television signal.
Il servizio è nato nel 2013, quando le interferenze erano quelle tra segnale televisivo digitale terrestre di prima generazione e nuovo (all’epoca) segnale telefonico 4G LTE che viaggia su frequenze di 800 MHz. Oggi entrambe le tecnologie si sono evolute moltissimo, anche per evitare le interferenze (come nel caso delle frequenze cedute al 5G), ma il sito e il servizio sono ancora attivi.
Lo switch off, infatti, sarà graduale secondo uno specifico calendario e per diversi mesi ci saranno “zone di confine" tra vecchia e nuova tecnologia. Anche quando il 5G sarà diffuso sul territorio, inoltre, le antenne 4G LTE continueranno ad operare per diversi anni (mentre quelle 3G sono già in fase di dismissione).
Come si usa HELP Interferenze
Se l’utente riscontra problemi di ricezione del segnale televisivo può visitare il sito www.helpinterferenze.it o comporre il numero telefonico gratuito 800-126-126 (curiosamente accessibile solo da linea telefonica fissa). You will then have to provide your personal data, especially the address at which the television system is located.
In case the staff of HELP Interferenze believes that interference between the telephone signal and the television signal is probable, they will send an antenna technician on site to solve the problem.
The costs of the intervention will be borne by the telephone operator that, in that area, uses the frequencies of the 800 MHz band.