Italian broadcasters oppose new DTT plan
October 15, 2018
From Branislav Pekic in Rome
Four Italian broadcasters have requested that the Lazio Regional Administrative Court annuls the resolution by which regulator AgCom has approved the new DTT frequency plan.
The changes in the TV frequencies are necessary to free up the 700 MHz band (694-790 MHz) for 5G mobile telephony services by 2022. This frequency band has now been assigned to the telecom operators, which will result in the halving of the current frequencies destined for DTT usage.
Legal sources told Reuters that Prima TV, Mediaset, Cairo Network and ReteCapri did not contest the release of the 700 MHz band and the consequent 5G tender.
Instead, they ask that the Italian state finds a solution that guarantees the maintenance of the same number of frequencies made available for TV channels, through the redistribution of unused frequencies or those used for local broadcasting.
The new National Frequency Plan foresees the existence of 10 national DTT multiplexes in the UHF band, four local multiplexes in the UHF band, plus another regional one in the III VHF band for local and public service channels.