Open Television requests the Government to guarantee the reservation of the sub 700 spectrum for DTT at least until the year 2030

The group made up of the main agents of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) in Spain presents its proposals within the public consultation on the 700 MHz band open to the second digital dividend.

Open Television, a group made up of the main agents of the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) in Spain, in addition to unions, professional entities and user organizations, has presented its joint contribution to the public consultation on the so-called “second digital dividend”, launched by the Ministry of Energy, Tourism and Digital Agenda

The open television proposal fundamentally requires that the reservation of the sub 700 spectrum for digital terrestrial television service providers at least until 2030, in accordance with the UHF Decision of the EU Parliament and Council of 2017, in order to provide the sector with certainty and legal security.

On the other hand, the group requests the maintenance of the current 8 multiple DTT channels, with its coverage and disconnection capabilities and the creation of a new promotional multiple channel for UHD broadcasts whose start of broadcasts coincides with the migration process of televisions to their new frequencies, and a technological evolution plan for the DTT platform that guarantees its viability in the future.

Open Television also proposes to the Ministry to develop a compensation plan for operators and citizens, that takes into account the costs of migration, adaptation of building installations and mitigation of interference in television reception that may occur.

With the objective of ensuring the technological evolution of DTT, its present and future development, the legal security of the sector, but also to minimize the impact of the second digital dividend for citizens, Open Television also proposes enabling simultaneous broadcasting (simulcast) between the current and destination frequencies for a sufficient period to guarantee industry, network operators and installation companies the correct performance of their work, and to make it easier for citizens to adapt to the new situation.

In his opinion, another measure to take would be to undertake a institutional communication plan intended for users and agents in the value chain in which the dissemination of messages through different media is combined (especially the television channels themselves), with proximity actions aimed at the most vulnerable groups.

Process schedule

The working group asks the Government to establish in advance a process schedule with their corresponding milestones agreed upon by consensus of all the agents involved. In its response to the public consultation, open television has proposed a roadmap with dates and objectives that can generate that consensus.

Another measure proposed in the document is to minimize the economic impact that this new digital dividend will have on citizens, agreeing to grant compensation to citizens and broadcasters, as well as guaranteeing the granting of public aid exempt from taxation so that citizens can adapt the collective facilities of their buildings.

It is also proposed to study the mechanisms of identification and correction of possible interferences in the reception of DTT due to effects on wireless broadband services in addition to the execution of preventive actions in the DTT receiving facilities on which action is taken, in the process of releasing the digital dividend, in accordance with European regulations (RED 2014/53/EU), as well as the adoption of regulatory measures so that all DTT receiving devices that are marketed in the Spanish market from January 1, 2019 incorporate, at least DVB-T/T2 demodulator and an MPEG-2/4 decoder. In the case of ultra high definition (UHD) digital terrestrial television receivers, they must also incorporate an HEVC decoder. In the case of DTT receiver devices connectable to the Internet, they must incorporate the HbbTV standard, in accordance with the Specification of digital terrestrial television receivers for the Spanish market of the Digital Television Technical Forum.

Finally, Open Television requests the creation, from the Secretary of State for the Information Society and Digital Agenda, of a multidisciplinary working group that collaborates in the process and in providing adequate information to users and agents of the value chain, expressing its availability to collaborate in said working group.