PMR446 analogue channels

[Six of Nine]

Hello, I first read more than one year ago a post in this forum regarding 8 additional analogue PMR446 channels,
and docs either on the Ofcom site and Wikipedia confirm there are now 16 analogue channels since January 2018.

Nonetheless, it seems not all the European Countries are complying.

For example, in Northwestern Italy, channels 09, 11 and 12 are still occupied by analogue links between repeaters of private security firms.

Furthermore, there isn't a standard regarding digital channels valid for all the European Countries.
Anyway Wikipedia indicates CH 09 as a DMR digital channel.

So, I would like to know the real situation.
Thanks in advance for any explanation.

[G4RMT]

The real situation is the EU published the spec, the manufacturers produced them, people buy them - they use them an all is well.

As 99.9% of people buy at least 2, charge them up, pick a number and use them, all continues to be well. The range is so short that unless you live in a few parts where others use them - they don't notice. Even if you live in Italy in the service area with a repeater link, the chances are you won't be on the same frequency with the same CTCSS, so one or two channels out of the total just appear not to work very well, so they don't use them.

If you buy your radios and take them on holiday to an EU country, they carry on working exactly like at home - and being expert from licensing, interference is not going to be an interest of any Government with better things to do. It really does what it says on the box, anywhere in Europe. In practice it's never been possible to guarantee that two PMR446 radios would be able to talk to each other - the mix of frequencies, modes and tones is just too random - and frankly, the users don't notice. Only radio hobbyists even know how the system should work. To normal people, they're just radios that have only one problem - flat batteries!