Spain selects HbbTV standard
November 25, 2011
From David Del Valle in Madrid
Following the example of Germany, France, Holland and Austria, Spain has agreed to adopt HbbTV as the standard for connected TV. The Ministry of Industry has approved a formal text backed by the whole electronic industry and TV broadcasters including 54 companies to adopt the HbbTV standard to develop new connected TV services.
With the decision, the Administration paves the way for the introduction of HbbTV. Over the next months, all TV sets with Internet connection capabilities should include the standard. It is estimated that 25 per cent of the estimated 4.5 million TV sets to be sold in 2012 will be ready for HbbTV, according to Ametic.
In the current year, 15 per cent (675,000) of 4.5 million TV sets sold are HbbTV-ready, but worldwide events like the Olympic Games or the Euro Cup Football in 2012 will boost the purchase of HbbTV-ready TV sets.
Spanish broadcasters have publicly backed the HbbTV standard promoted by EBU and are making HbbTV trials at the present time. Mediaset, owner of Tele 5 and Cuatro, TVE and Telefonica are developing an HbbTV project, with plans by RTVE to launch a specific service to cover the Olympic Games. Canal Plus has also launche