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RTE must have DTT operational by October

  • 29-03-2010 4:07pm
    #1
    taung
    Closed Accounts Posts: 339 ✭✭


    From yesterday's Sunday Business Post.....





    RTE must have DTT operational by October

    28 March 2010 By Samantha McCaughren

    The government has ordered RTE to have digital terrestrial television (DTT) available to more than 90 per cent of the population by the end of October, despite ongoing delays with the commercial side of the project.

    RTE is understood to be fairly confident that it can have the public service side of DTT operational in time for this deadline.

    However, it is likely to put further pressure on the Eircom-led commercial consortium OneVision to sign contracts with RTE and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI).

    A statutory instrument, signed by communications minister Eamon Ryan last week, requires RTE to ensure that its free-to-air digital television service is operational and available to the majority of homes by October 31.

    DTT will replace signals received free by hundreds of thousands of homes and will compete with Sky Digital and UPC. It was planned that RTE’s free stations would be launched along with commercial bundles of stations to make it attractive to consumers.

    However, the commercial side has still not been agreed, and an initial launch date of September 2009 was missed.

    Sources said that, as RTE proceeds with the public service multiplex, or bundle of stations, it will become more difficult to accommodate the commercial operator.

    RTE’s transmission business RTENL will have to spend in excess of €100 million building the network, but it is understood that it could save up to €40 million if it facilitates only the public service side of the project.

    OneVision has yet to agree a transmission deal with RTE, amid claims that the broadcaster is seeking too many financial guarantees.

    However, RTE insiders said it had moved its position as far as possible. OneVision will also have to enter into agreements with the BAI, providers of television content, and a set-top box company.

    The BAI meets tomorrow, and the issue of DTT will be high on the agenda. BAI chairman Bob Collins recently said that the authority was running out of patience on the issue.

    OneVision was awarded the contract last June after the Communicorp-led consortium Boxer pulled out of negotiations.

    Although speedy negotiations with OneVision were hoped for, the talks have dragged on with RTE, which is legally obliged only to get the public service DTT up and running.


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