Advanced Television

Cairo Communications only bidder for Italian DTT

April 16, 2014

From Branislav Pekic in Rome

Cairo Communications has submitted the only bid on the DTT frequency auction, called by Italy’s Ministry for Economic Development.

Significantly, the auction was not open to companies that own three or more digital multiplexes, i.e. Mediaset, RAI and Telecom Italia Broadcasting. The starting price of the auction was set at €30 million.

The Ministry will now consider whether the bid has met the formal requirements, while Cairo Communications will have 30 days to submit the financial bid for one or more of the three frequency lots put out to tender, with the obligation of covering 51 per cent of the Italian population within five years.

Last year, Cairo Communications purchased Italian national broadcaster La7 from Telecom Italia Media.

The European Commission opened an infringement procedure against Italy in 2005 regarding the procedure for the allocation of DTT frequencies.

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, DTT/DSO