LTE tests suspended for a weekend to avoid DTT interference

French audiovisual regulator CSA asked operators to suspend their LTE tests in Laval over the weekend of 15-16 October to avoid intereference with DTT signals during the semi-finals of the rugby world cup and the announcement of the socialist party candidate for next year's presidential election. CSA technology director Franck Lebeugle wrote to operators and equipment makers that some equipment had caused intereference at a dozen buildings housing 300-400 people. The tests are being run by Orange France, SFR, Bouygues Telecom, Alcatel-Lucent and TDF. Hugues Martinet, director of TV operations at Towercast, which was not chosen for the tests in Laval, told Les Echos that the company was informed by users of significant interference, including freezing the image and even blocking reception altogether. The signal from TV transmitters is too weak relative to the LTE base stations operating next to homes, he added. CSA refused to comment until the end of the ongoing tests.