DigiTAG

Web Letter

February 2008

DigiTAG seeks to inform members and non-members about important developments in the digital terrestrial television market. Each month, DigiTAG distributes its web letter with news updates and further exploration of one topic.

To subscribe to the DigiTAG Web Letter, send an email to the DigiTAG Project Office.

Update on DTT in the Czech Republic

The digital terrestrial television platform (DTT) received a boost in the Czech Republic following the new amendments added to the existing media legislative framework. The president, Vaclav Klaus, signed several amendments that will allow for the launch of new television programme services on the DTT platform.

Very soon, the DTT platform will not only broadcast the services available on the existing analogue platform as well as the services of the public service broadcaster Czech Television, but also some services already delivered on the cable and satellite platforms.

With the launch of new commercial services on the DTT platform, the Czech Republic is helping to ensure a compelling platform that will entice viewers away from the analogue terrestrial television platform. Such a move will ease the digital switchover transition.

Current DTT platform

The public service broadcaster launched its DTT services on 21 October 2005. On one multiplex, it offers viewers access to its two existing television programme services, CT1 and CT2, as well as to two new services, CT4 Sport and the continuous news service CT24. One out of the two commercial broadcasters on the analogue terrestrial platform, TV Nova, has also made its services available on this multiplex.

DTT services are currently available in the regions of Prague, Brno and Ostrava, Domazlicko and Usti nad Labern which covers approximately 40% of the population. In addition, Czech Television has announced plans to make its services available in the southwestern part of the country.

Viewers are also able to access DTT services available on multiplex B operated by the Czech Digital Group (CDG) on a trial basis. These services include the simulcast of the broadcast service from the commercial broadcaster on the analogue terrestrial platform Prima TV, as well as Ocko, TV Noe, Public TV and Radio Proglas which are also available on the cable and satellite platforms. However, because it only holds a trial license, CDG cannot guarantee against the interruption or discontinuation of its service. These services are available in Prague, and the CDG plans to extend coverage to Brno and Ostrava this year.

A further multiplex is operated by Telefonica O2 on a trial basis.

Increasing the coverage of these multiplexes is currently under discussion as part of the draft Technical Transition plan. The plan calls for the roll-out of services on three multiplexes, in addition to the multiplex that is already operated by Czech Television.

Analogue switch-off

The process of analogue switch-off has begun. On 31 August 2007, Domazlicko in the south-western part of the country became the first region to switch-off the two analogue terrestrial channels of Czech Television, CT1 and CT2. These services are now only available on the DTT platform. The switch-off of CT1 and CT2 is expected to take place in the region of Usti nad Labern in the summer of 2008. In both of these regions, switch-off has been accelerated due to frequency coordination issues with neighbouring countries.

The date for the completion of analogue switch-off is subject to debate. While the Czech Parliament has confirmed that analogue switch-off should be completed by 10 October 2010, based on the recommendation made by the Czech Telecommunications Office (CTU), a consultation on digital switchover has nevertheless been opened.

Analogue switch-off will take place region-by-region with a short simulcast period, similar to the process in Germany. Already, the government has set up a digital switchover group, Digi Monitor, under the auspices of the CTU and the Czech Association of Competitive Communications (CACC).

Launch of new services

New broadcast services will be launched in 2008. The six broadcasters that had initially been allocated DTT licenses by the broadcast regulator Council for Radio and Television Broadcasting (RRTV) in April 2006, later revoked by the Prague municipal court, can launch services. This follows from a decision made by the Parliament granting the broadcasters with DTT licenses. These broadcasters include TV Barrandov, Febio TV, TV Pohoda, Ocko, RTA and Z1.

The opportunity for the delivery of mobile television services is also under consideration. At the end of 2006, T-Mobile, in cooperation with incumbent network operator Ceske Radiokomunikace, undertook a DVB-H trial.

Some commercial broadcasters have also called for the launch of pay services on the DTT platform. Because of fears that existing advertisement budgets will not be able to cover the costs for commercial services on the DTT platform, the launch of pay-services can provide a new means for securing revenue.

To continue to maintain its relevance for viewers, the terrestrial platform will need to provide viewers with more and better services than had been available in the past. Already, it faces fierce competition from IPTV, satellite and cable providers. As in other European countries, launching a full DTT platform may be the most effective means to maintaining a strong terrestrial platform.

Source: Natalie Mouyal, DigiTAG Project Office

About DigiTAG

DigiTAG aims to encourage and facilitate the implementation and introduction of digital terrestrial television services using the Digital Video Broadcasting Project's Standard (DVB-T). It has some 60 members from broadcasting, network operators, regulatory, and manufacturing organisations throughout Europe and beyond.

Visit the DigiTAG website

Please contact the DigiTAG office if you have any news that you would like to include in the next DigiTAG Web Letter.

To unsubscribe from the DigiTAG Web Letter, please click here and put 'UNSUBSCRIBE' in the subject title of your email.

DTT NEWS ROUND-UP

For access to the full articles archive, please go to DigiTAG News

France - DTT penetration reaches 28.25%

Research published by Médiamétrie shows that a total of 28.2% of households access DTT services in January 2008, compared with 23.5% in December 2007.

Simultaneous to the rise of DTT households, the audience share of "generalist" broadcasters with services on the traditional analogue terrestrial platform has fallen.

Source: La Tribune

Denmark - Three candidates for DTT license

The Mediesekretariatet received three applications for the license to operate four multiplexes on the DTT platform. As a next step, the regulator plans to announce the license winner on 28 March.

The candidates for license include the Swedish pay-DTT operator Boxer, Telenor’s Danmarks Digital TV and Modern Times Group’s Danmarks TV. Three of the multiplexes will be available on 1 November 2009, right after analogue switch-off, while the fourth multiplex will become available on 1 November 2010.

Source: Broadband TV News

Spain - 8 million receivers sold

By the end of 2007, a total of 8 million DTT receivers had been sold. Of the receivers sold in 2007, 62% were integrated into other equipment, especially television sets.

In 2006, only 29% of DTT receivers sold were integrated into other equipment.

Source: Rapid TV News

Israel - DTT services to be launched in August 2008

On 4 February, the Parliament approved the legal framework to allow for the launch of DTT services, expected to to take place by the end of the summer.

Viewers will be able to access five free-to-air television programme services, including IBA 1, IBA 33, Channel 2, Channel 10 and the a Parliamentary service, from a single multiplex. The MPEG-4 AVC video compression format will be used.

Source: Go Digital

Uruguay - Launch of first DVB-H trial

The first DVB-H pilot in South America is underway in Uruguay. Trial services have been launched in the tourist region of Punta del Este.

Viewers can access five television services from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay. The services include Canal 7 Cerro Pan de Azúcar, Canal 5 TVEO, Canal C5N de Argentina, Televisión Nacional de Chile and Record de Brasil.

Source: Yahoo España

United Kingdom - Television transmitter location maps published

The broadcast regulator Ofcom has published maps that detail the locations of all transitters within each broadcast television region.

With this information, viewers have precise details on when switchover will take place in a given area.

Source: Ofcom website

Italy - Over 6.5 million DTT receivers sold

According to figures published by GfK, a total of 6.697.516 DTT receivers have been sold since the launch of DTT services in early 2004.

Of the DTT receivers sold, 17.7% were iDTVs (1,186,936) while 82.3% were set-top boxes (5,510,580). Only 4.8% of the set-top boxes sold consisted of simple zapper boxes without any interactive features.