Spain: 1.2m DTT antennas to be converted, again
September 6, 2012
From David Del Valle in Madrid
The allocation of the so-called digital dividend for January 2014 will give rise to a second DTT migration in Spain that will require to re-adapt 1.2 million antennas in the country with an average cost of €20 per household.
The total cost of adapting the antennas is estimated at €300 million and will not be funded by the government. Broadcasters have to migrate to other frequencies and release the 800 MHz band by January 1st 2014 so that this band can be used by operators to provide mobile broadband services.
Consumers and electronic manufacturers’ associations are crying out against the new Government’s DTT plans on the grounds that it is the result of an improvisation that will end up in a higher bill for consumers and the risk of losing 23,000 jobs in the electronics industry
The government will shortly approve a new DTT technical plan to detail the road map of the new DTT picture.