DigiTAG

Web Letter

September 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.

DTT launch in Hungary

The National Communications Authority of Hungary (NHH) has officially allocated the license to operate DTT services to the broadcast network operator Antenna Hungaria. This paves the way for the launch of DTT services, expected to take place by the end of the year.

The DTT license provides Antenna Hungaria with the right to operate 5 multiplexes for a 12 year period. Among these multiplexes, three will be launched by 1 December while the remaining two will launch after analogue switch-off is completed by 2012. The MPEG-4 AVC compression format will be used. One multiplex is reserved for the provision of DVB-H services.

The licensing process began in March when the NHH invited candidates to tender for the operation of the five DTT multiplexes and received bids from Antenna Hungaria and the Digital Broadcasting Kft, part of the Slovakian consortium TRI R which specialises in network management. In July, the Parliament confirmed NHH’s recommendation to allocate the DTT license to Antenna Hungaria given its available infrastructure, expertise, and plans for a tight roll-out schedule and high coverage levels.

Antenna Hungaria was also allocate the license to operate digital radio services using the DAB+ standard.

DVB-T service offering

Antenna Hungaria has announced that it plans to launch a DVB-T platform that will offer viewers access to many new free-to-air television programme services. It has announced that the public service broadcaster will provide three services, m1, m2 and Duna TV, planned for high-definition, while several other broadcasters have expressed an interest in joining the platform although formal agreements have not yet been signed.

The commercial broadcasters on the analogue terrestrial platform, RTL Klub and TV2, will decide in the next two months if they will join the DTT platform. In addition, two pay-DTT services, ATV and HirTV, will also be available.

Lack of choice has been a key reason for the dwindling number of viewers on the analogue terrestrial platform, currently representing 20-25% of all television households. Antenna Hungaria hopes that with its offer of a wide range of services and in better quality compared to the existing analogue terrestrial platform it will be able to attract new viewers and make the terrestrial platform more competitive with other broadcast distribution platforms

High-definition content is expected to be a key feature of the DTT platform. An increasing amount of HD content is becoming available as broadcasters upgrade their production facilities as has recently been the case with Magyar Televizio. In addition, it is estimated that 200,000 households will be equipped with HD-ready displays by 2010. Based on the experience from Antenna Hungaria’s parent company TDF, it can be expected that three HD/DTT services will be offered from a single multiplex using the DVB-T standard.

The DTT platform will be marketed to viewers using the MinDigTV branding which is the abbreviation for Mindenhol digitális tévé (translated as Digital TV Everywhere). The branding aims to demonstrate that DTT provides easy reception of television services throughout the country and generally without a subscription fee. The MinDigTV logo will be affixed as a sticker on DTT receivers to help consumers easily identify DTT products.

At the time of launch, DVB-T services will be available to 60% of the population, with coverage in the regions of Budapest, Szentes and Kabhegy. The roll-out of services in eight further cities, Pécs, Tokaj, Nagykanizsa, Györ, Vasvár, Uzd, Kiskörös, Szeged, in 2009 will bring the coverage level to 88% of the population. By 2010, services will be available to 95% of the population. By the time of the completion of analogue switch-off, DVB-T services will be available to 96% of the population.

DVB-SSU (system software ugrade) services will be available to consumer manufacturers once the commercial DTT services have been launched.

Antenna Hungaria expects to invest HUF 25 billion (approximately €100 million) for the roll-out of digital networks over the next 4-5 years.

DVB-H service offering

Mobile television services will launch in December 2008 in the region of Budapest, providing services to 16% of the population. Coverage will expand to the 7 largest cities and the area of Lake Balaton by the end of 2009 and reach 30% of the population. By 2012, DVB-H services will be available to 50% of the population.

The business model and service offering has not yet been announced. However, it is expected that 16-20 television programme services will be made available to viewers in cooperation with mobile telecom operators. It is expected that viewers will need to pay a subscription fee to access services.

Analogue switch-off

In line with the recommendation of the European Commission, analogue switch-off will be completed in Hungary by 2012, the government having set the end of 2011 for analogue switch-off to be completed.

Antenna Hungaria will lead the digital switchover communications effort, although it has noted that strong support from the government will be necessary. As a first step, Antenna Hungaria has announced plans to set up a forum to lead the process, the Digitalisation Organisation. Members of the forum are expected to include the key members of the broadcast industry such as the government representatives, broadcasters, the network operator, equipment manufacturers and distributors.

An information campaign on digital switchover will begin this Autumn and last until the process is completed in four years time.

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.

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DTT NEWS ROUND-UP

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

United Kingdom - BBC set to launch HD/DTT services

The BBC has announced its plans to launch HD services on the DTT platform in November 2009 using the DVB-T2 standard and the MPEG-4 AVC compression format.

The services will be available on Multiplex B as per the plan presented by the communications regulator Ofcom.

Initially, viewers will be able to access 3 services although it is expected that 4 services will become available.

Source: Broadband TV News

France - HD tuner for 66+ cm TV sets as of 1 December 2009

Manufacturers will need to include an MPEG-4 AVC HD tuner in all television sets sized 66 cm (26 inches) and above as of 1 December 2009.

This is in addition to the requirement that all HD-ready television sets must include an HD tuner as of 1 December 2008.

All television sets and set-top boxes must include an HD/DTT tuner by 1 December 2012.

Source: LegiFrance

Norway - Strong growth for RiksTV

The pay-DTT service operator RiksTV has reported that it has acquired 250,000 subscribers in the first year following its service launch.

RiksTV has reached the halfway mark for its five year goal of 500,000 subscribers.

Subscription has been strong in the western part of the country, especially in the lead up to analogue switch-off.

DTT services will launch in the northern part of the country in November.

Source: RiksTV press release

Austria - ASO continues in 11 regions

Analogue switch-off has been completed on 16 September in 11 regions, including Dalaas, Gaschurn, Lech and Raggal/Kreuzbühel.

In addition, the communications regulator Komm Austria is expected to soon issue licenses for the operation of a third DTT multiplex, MUX C. This multiplex will provide regional DTT services.

Source: Broadband TV News

Finland - Digita testing VOD services

The network operator Digita is testing video-on-demand (VOD) services on the DTT platform using a VOD test platform from the Swedish company VODvision.

The VOD service will allow DTT households to download content directly from the DTT network at night when fewer DTT services make use of the network.

Source: VOD vision press release

Spain - DTT penetration reaches 36%

According to figures published by Sofres, DTT penetration has reached 36.9% of households. Sales of DTT receivers continue strongly with over 1 million receivers sold in the summer period.

Sofres estimates that the DTT platform has a 17.1% audience share.

DTT services are available to 89% of the population since early August and will reach 90% of the population by the end of the year.

Source: Rapid TV News

USA - Analogue switch-off completed in Wilmington, NC

Wilmington, North Carolina completed analogue switch-off on 8 September, becoming the first city in the United States to do so.

It participated in the only switch-off trial to organised by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) prior to nationwide switch-off on 17 February 2009.

It is estimated that approximately 9% of households rely on the terrestrial platform for their primary television viewing.

Source: Bloomberg

United Kingdom - BSkyB drops Picnic TV

BSkyB has decided to drop its plans to launch pay services on the DTT platform blaming delays in the regulatory process.

The planned BSkyB pay-DTT service would have offered viewers access to up to 5 television services using the MPEG-4 AVC compression format.

BSkyB will continue to offer its current free-to-air services which include Sky News, Sky Sports News and Sky Three.