Spain approves a new DTT technical plan
September 3, 2012
From David Del Valle in Madrid
The Spanish Government is set to approve a new DTT technical plan following the recent agreement with broadcasters to reduce their DTT frequencies and the green light to the allocation of the so-called digital dividend.
The new plan will see a new DTT map with broadcasters migrating to other frequencies as their present ones will be used by telco operators to develop 4G and other added-value services.
The whole process must be completed before January 2014 and will now cost €300 million under the new plan, €600 million less than the previous migration plan as a result of the cut in DTT frequencies. Users will have to pay that bill to re-adapt their DTT dishes as the Administration lacks of money to finance it.
Private broadcasters accepted giving up one multiplex out of the six they are operating at the present time with public operators, the nationwide RTVE and the Regional TV stations dropping one multiplex each resulting in a DTT map in the country with seven DTT multiplexes for all TV operators.
With this DTT reduction deal, networks will have to broadcast their channels using less space and HD channels will be located in a specific frequency as broadcasters will not be able to simultaneously broadcast their channels on SD and HD as they are now doing, obliging viewers to acquire adapters to watch HD channels.