Mediaset gets fifth DTT multiplex
August 7, 2013
From Branislav Pekic in Rome
Italian commercial broadcaster Mediaset has taken the total DTT multiplexes it owns to five, the maximum allowed by law.
This follows the authorisation from Italy’s Ministry of Economic Development to Mediaset to transform into DVB-T the frequency already in its possession and that was initially intended to be used for mobile TV (DVB-H). The decision of the ministry was preceeded by a positive opinion of the Communications Authority (AgCom).
Mediaset’s fifth multiplex has been the focus of much debate in recent years, especially in relation to the “beauty contest” during which the last Berlusconi government intended to allocate the TV frequencies freed up by the switchover to DTT.
However, the subsequent cancellation of the “beauty contest” and the definition of the competition rules for the frequency auction that sets the limit of five multiplexes per operator motivated Mediaset to immediately start the procedure for the conversion of the last multiplex available.
For its part, state broadcaster RAI has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Economic Development and AgCom for the replanning of Multiplex 1. The goal is to reduce reception problems which arose after the ASO and also to obtain coordinated frequencies.