:: 02/05/2010

Ireland - Commercial DTT license awarded to EasyTV

The future of DTT remains unclear in Ireland following the decision by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) to withdraw the commercial DTT license from the OneVision consortium.

Currently, a third DTT license bidder, Easy TV, has been given the opportunity to acquire the commercial DTT license. Previously, the DTT license had been offered to a consortium led by Boxer and to Onevision. Both consortiums declined the license following an inability to reach agreement with the DTT broadcast network operator RTE NL.

EasyTV is a consortium comprised of RTE and UPC. However, it is not clear if it will decide to take the DTT license. Another possibility is that the regulator begins the licensing process anew.

The free-to-air DTT platform, known as Saorview, is required to laumch by October 2010.

Source: The Post