dtt transition period in slovenia current status

DTT transition period in Slovenia Current status & lessons learned

mag. Miha Krišelj

Međunarodna konferencija

“STRATEGIJA PRELASKA NA DIGITALNO EMITOVANJE U BiH”

Sarajevo 22. maj 2008

2“STRATEGIJA PRELASKA NA DIGITALNO EMITOVANJE U BiH”


Content

Facts & FiguresRegulatory milestonesRegulatory milestonesImplementation processImplementation processDifficultiesDifficultiesRegulatory remediesRegulatory remedies

–Additional programmes for the 1Additional programmes for the 1stst multiplex multiplex

–Public tender for the operator of the 2Public tender for the operator of the 2ndnd multiplex multiplex

Situation on the MPEG-4 Set Top Box marketSituation on the MPEG-4 Set Top Box marketCurrent situationCurrent situation



Omre_jaZAHODKOPER NOVA GORICA, Vipavska dolina, So_ka dolinaCENTERLJUBLJANAVZHOD

1 6 6 6 5 5 52 21 21 21 32 32 273 22 22 22 35 35 374 27 27 27 38 38 455 31 31 31 45 45 526 33 33 33 49 49 597 35 35 35 61 61 668 41 41 41 64 64 679 51 51 51 2110 59 59 59 2611 64 64 64 3712 66 66 66 4713 67 67 67 5014 34 34 5815 45 45 6216 61 61 6517 2318 2819 2920 3921 4322 4623 5324 5725 68

Digital Terrestrial Frequency Plan (SLO)

–8 layers with national/regional coverage

–In some parts of the country more frequencies will be available (the Capital city Ljubljana and the West part of the country)



Slovenia – TV Facts

–2 million inhabitants

–680 000 TV households

–25 % of TV households receiving TV over the air

–More than 60 TV channels (terrestrial and cable)

–3 nationwide public TV channels (SLO1, SLO2, SLO3)

–3 nationwide commercial TV channels (POP TV, Kanal A, TV3)

–14 local/regional TV channels using terrestrial frequencies



TV platforms

While we are trying to put in operation the DTT platform, some other TV platforms in Slovenia are developing quickly:

Rapid growth of IPTV penetrationIntroduction of DTH platform which competes for the same audience as DTT (in rural areas)

Penetration of different

TV platforms in Slovenia.

Source: AGB Media Research*, 2008

*basic research carried out

by GFK Slovenia



Content

Facts & Figures Facts & Figures Regulatory milestonesDecision on DVB-T implementation strategyDecision on DVB-T implementation strategyImplementation processImplementation processDifficultiesDifficultiesRegulatory remediesRegulatory remedies

–Additional programmes for the 1Additional programmes for the 1stst multiplex multiplex–Public tender for the operator of the 2Public tender for the operator of the 2ndnd multiplex multiplex




Regulatory Milestones

Mass Media Act (2001, 2006)Electronic Communications Act (2004, 2006)National Strategy on the Transition from Analogue to Digital Broadcasting (beginning of 2006)Gaining 8 muxes at the RRC 2006 (mid 2006)Setting MPEG-4 Part 10 for the obligatory AVC standard (end of 2006)Frequencies for the 1st national DTT network issued (beginning of 2007)



Regulatory Milestones

Temporary division of 1st national multiplex (mid 2007)Scanning interest in 2nd national DTT network (mid 07)First digital programme licenses issued (end 2007)Digital Broadcasting Act (end of 2007)Preparing a public tender for 2nd national network / multiplex (currently in the process)Preparing a public tender for digital programme licenses (currently in the process)



DSO according to the Law

Region by region principle

Simulcasting officially starts when a 90% DTT coverage in a region is achieved (at least 1 mux)

Two official dates:

–The last day for starting simulcasting period is 1 June 2009.

–The switch off date has been set for 31 December 2010.

Obligatory PSB coverage at the switch-off date min 95% of the territory



Digital Broadcasting Act

Article 15.–Public broadcaster should provide the capacity in the 1st multiplex for (other) TV programmes holding the national licenses (if only one multiplex existing)–If there is only one multiplex operating nationwide, the public broadcaster could get the license for the next multiplex only when no other applicants are identified.

Article 29.–The Agency should issue digital licenses for all programmes holding analogue licenses, 6 months after the Act will be accepted. In cases where the equilibrium of analog and digital coverage can not be achieved, the Agency allocates bigger coverage.–The simulcasting period starts when at east one multiplex is covering at least 90% population and when all TV stations on this geographical area have a possibility to be a part of digital multipleks.–Even if the previous condition is not achieved, the simulcasting period starts on 1.6.2009 at the latest.



Electronic Communications Act (2004, 2006)

Article 56a (Law on e-communications) essentially changes the digital broadcasting frequencies assignment procedure

•Broadcasting Council is no more asked for the opinion on the spectrum allocation table•To assign a broadcasting frequency, the public tender is not obligatory. The procedure is the same as in the case of assigning the frequencies for the radio communication networks.•There are no programme conditions associated with the digital broadcasting frequencies•The Broadcasting Council does not suggest to whom the digital frequency shall be assigned

–There is no reimbursement fee in exchange for using the scarce public resource



Content

Facts & Figures Facts & Figures Regulatory milestonesRegulatory milestonesDecision on DVB-T implementation strategyImplementation processImplementation processDifficultiesDifficultiesRegulatory remediesRegulatory remedies





The delay in implementation of DVB-T can be used as an opportunity (no legacy systems or networks)Dilemma on MPEG-4 solved:

–Better spectrum utilization

–Opportunity for implementing HDTV in the future

Media legislation–Amended Law on electronic communications

–Amended Mass media law

–New draft Digital broadcasting law

(Can we use “cable like” content regulation on DVB-T networks?)

Decision on DVB-T strategy



Regulatory challenges

In trying to establish DTT platform in the Slovenian (small and under-diversified) TV market, the crucial regulatory questions are:

–How to create a favourable regulatory environment to attract potential operators, willing to invest in the Slovenian DTT networks?

–What kind of TV offer would be most suitable to fill the vast capacity of first two national multiplexes?

–How could we make people interested in DTT?

–How to assure the future existence of local (now analogue) TV channels?



Opportunities

As a small country with considerably high penetration of cable and other non-terrestrial platforms, Slovenia could be a country with rather simple switchover process.

However, the transition from analogue to digital reception of TV channels should not be the only goal of the DSO process.

By determining MPEG-4 for the obligatory AVC standard, Slovenia decided both for more efficient use of spectrum and for more diverse choice of high quality TV services (+new services and HDTV)



Content

Facts & Figures Facts & Figures Regulatory milestonesRegulatory milestonesDecision on DVB-T implementation strategyDecision on DVB-T implementation strategyImplementation processDifficultiesDifficultiesRegulatory remediesRegulatory remedies





Current DTT Coverage

More than 60 % of the Slovenian population covered



3rd DVB-T multiplex

Commitment to HDTV–Strong commitment to HDTV programming by Public and Commercial TV stations

–In order to maintain the idea of reasonable high number of terrestrial digital TV programmes, third network with reduced coverage will be introduced



Multiplex A (RTV Slovenija)

PSB TV channels: 3 national, 2 regional (occupying 4 places)Commercial TV channels: 3 national (min 40% coverage ATT)



Multiplex B (planned)

Planned model

But.. not enough legal certainty

Article 133 of the Mass Media Act envisaged a penalty provision for operators of DTT networks, which would eventually disseminate a TV service without the so called digital programme license, stipulated under Article 104a



2 Tenders Needed to Put in Operation Mux B

The only way to establish the 2nd national multiplex is through two separate public tenders:

–one for selecting the network operator,

–the other one for granting digital programme licenses.

The operator, once chosen through the tender, will have to build the national network and put multiplex in operation by transmitting the TV channels with digital programme licenses.



Content

Facts & Figures Facts & Figures Forthcoming legislationForthcoming legislationDecision on DVB-T implementation strategyDecision on DVB-T implementation strategyImplementation processImplementation processDifficultiesRegulatory remediesRegulatory remedies





Selection of TV channels for mux B

… could be a problem

The price of mux operator’s services could be around 450.000 € per TV channel per year, which is an expense that an average Slovenian TV broadcaster can not afford to pay in the transition period.



Krvavec

Domžale

Ljubljana

Nanos

SlavnikTinjanKoperBeli Križ

Belvedere

Skalnica

Kuk

Kanin

BrvogiPeč

Kališje

Lokve

Nova Gorica

TrsteljKrim

Kočevje

Trdinov vrh

Novo Mesto

Kum

Plešivec Pohorje

Boč

Maribor

MB-Tezno

Pečarovci

Lendava

Dolnji Lakoš

Murska Sobota

In use

In installation

Planned in 2007/8

Planned later

Situation May 2007

Digital Microwave Network RTV SLO

Austria

Italy

Hungary

Croatia

The reasons of slow take-off



Content

Facts & Figures Facts & Figures Forthcoming legislationForthcoming legislationDecision on DVB-T implementation strategyDecision on DVB-T implementation strategyImplementation processImplementation processDifficultiesDifficultiesRegulatory remedies

–Additional programmes for the 1st multiplex–Public tender for the operator of the 2nd multiplex




Regulatory measures that followed

APEK started negotiation process with Public broadcaster to divide 1st multiplex:

–4/7 will be used for public programmes

–3/7 will be used for commercial TV programmes with national programming strategy

On 17th Avgust APEK issued public appeal for scanning the interest in frequencies for 2nd national multiplex

–4 operators have expressed the interest therefore the public tender will be published

APEK will publish an appeal to assign small local digital frequencies to the local broadcasters



Public inquiry on 2.multiplex

On 17th of August APEK took a decision to issue a public appeal to examine the interest on building a 2nd DVB-T multiplex.3 frequencies for 3 SFN networks:

•East: channel 67 •Center: channel 64 •West: channel 66

Coding standard: ITU-T H.264 (MPEG-4 Part 10).Network parameters must enable net bit rate of 22 Mbit/sMinimal coverage dynamics:

–1st year: 40% of population–2nd year: 60% of population–3rd year: 80% of population–4th year: 90% of population



Content

Facts & Figures Facts & Figures Forthcoming legislationForthcoming legislationDecision on DVB-T implementation strategyDecision on DVB-T implementation strategyImplementation processImplementation processDifficultiesDifficultiesRegulatory remediesRegulatory remedies

–Additional programmes for the 1st multiplexAdditional programmes for the 1st multiplex–Public tender for the operator of the 2nd multiplexPublic tender for the operator of the 2nd multiplex

Situation on the MPEG-4 Set Top Box marketCurrent situationCurrent situation



STB Specification & test results



STB situation on the market

Mercator je v brošuri "Tehnika" objavil prodajo Iskrinega MPEG-4 DVB-T sprejemnika DVB-T4000 (SD + HD). Na voljo je v Hipermarketih Ljubljana, Maribor, Maribor Pobrežje, Nova Gorica, Celje, Koper, Kranj Primskovo in v M Centrih tehnike. Cena za sprejemnik je 149,90 EUR.

Vir: Mercatorjeva brošura "Tehnika" (ponudba za čas od 10.4. do 7.5.2008)

Denis

Re: Mercator začel ponujati Iskrin MPEG-4 DVB-T sprejemnik DVB-T4000

12.04.2008 01:47 Datum registracije: 5 tednov nazaj

Sporočil: 2

Lep pozdrav vsem na forumu.

Zakaj pa so sploh testirali sprejemnike, če se potem v trgovinah pojavijo neki drugi ki sploh niso bli testirani ?



Content

Facts & Figures Facts & Figures Forthcoming legislationForthcoming legislationDecision on DVB-T implementation strategyDecision on DVB-T implementation strategyImplementation processImplementation processDifficultiesDifficultiesRegulatory remediesRegulatory remedies

–Additional programmes for the 1st multiplexAdditional programmes for the 1st multiplex–Public tender for the operator of the 2nd multiplexPublic tender for the operator of the 2nd multiplex

Situation on the MPEG-4 Set Top Box marketSituation on the MPEG-4 Set Top Box marketCurrent situation



Current situation

Solving a dispute between PSB acting as a SMP on the market 18 and the holders of the digital licences (POP TV, Kanal A and TV3)

Publishing two public tenders for the 2nd multiplex (one for the operator and one for the programmes)

Decision on two HDTV multiplexes in the capital city

dtt transition period in slovenia current status

Documents

digital licenses

digital coverage

digital frequency

digital broadcasting

digital programme licenses

digital multipleks

stmultiplex public tender

broadcasting frequency