Advanced Television

DTT in Portugal falls short of expectations

January 18, 2018

From Branislav Pekic in Rome

DTT in Portugal has fallen short of expectations both in commercial terms and the TV offer, according to a study published by the National Communications Authority (Anacom).

The document warns that, if things stay as they are, “penetration will continue to decline and DTT users will mainly be those with lower disposable income, living in the interior of the country and with less technological knowledge”.

The study also reveals that the offer of packages combining TV + internet (in partnership with broadband operators) could be attractive for the DTT market, “targeting customers of cable operators that have basic packages”. In addition, “the introduction of a competitive offer should be considered with the inclusion” of non-linear content, as “other alternative platforms provide it in a massive way”.

Based on interviews conducted, all broadcasters present on the platform (RTP, SIC and TVI) showed interest in introducing more channels.

However, the study points out that the current DTT network operator “has no incentive to broaden the offer, introduce new channels and services”, due both to the defined business model (in terms of pricing rules) and the conflict of interest, “because it owns a competing platform”.

As an option for the future, the study suggests changing the business model, allowing a clear separation between the transmission and the aggregation of content.

Reacting to the findings of the report, Altice Portugal said that it “has always complied with the quality obligations of the DTT service”, recalling that an Anacom report from early 2017 concluded that the quality of the DTT signal was very good, with close to 100 per cent service availability. Regarding the introduction of new DTT channels, Altice Portugal said that the decision belongs to the Portuguese government.

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, DTT/DSO, Research