This will be the roadmap to release the second digital dividend

The roadmap establishes the release schedule of the 700 MHz frequency band for the provision of wireless broadband electronic communications services with 5G technology, which will involve the migration of DTT services between January 2019 and March 2020.

The Ministry of Economy and Business has published the roadmap for the authorization process of the 700 MHz frequency band for the provision of wireless broadband electronic communications services with 5G technology, which will involve the migration of DTT services between January 2019 and March 2020.

According to the provisions of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, the process of releasing the 700 MHz band would have to end on June 30, 2020 in order to guarantee the provision of services with 5G technology and the extension of its coverage, especially to rural areas.

The roadmap has been prepared taking into consideration the contributions received in the public consultation that took place between November 28, 2017 and February 19, 2018, in which nearly a hundred contributions were received from interested parties.

Among the most relevant milestones on the calendar contained therein are the approval of various regulatory instruments in the next six months. Among others, a new National Technical Plan for Digital Terrestrial Television must be approved, where it is planned to maintain the current capabilities of the service. In this way, the Plan will be designed with the objective of maintaining the current number of national and regional multiplexes and, consequently, the existing offer of television channels, as well as the territorial disconnection capabilities. Likewise, guarantees of availability, at least until 2030, of the 470-694 MHz frequency band for the provision of said services will be included.

In accordance with the roadmap, the objective is established of approving before the end of the year the compensation regime for the adaptation of the reception facilities of the buildings to the new frequencies and to compensate for the necessary changes in the transmission equipment of the broadcasters, compatible with the applicable community regime.

The effective migration process of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) services from the frequencies used in the 700 MHz band, to the new planned frequencies, is expected to take place between January 2019 and March 2020.
The tender for the 700 MHz band will be carried out in the future for its effective use by electronic communications services, particularly for 5G services, with it estimated that the license awards will be made before June 30, 2020.

New National DTT Technical Plan

The new National Technical Plan for Digital Terrestrial Television will be approved by Royal Decree, considering that it could be in force before the end of 2018. According to the contributions collected in the public consultation, its main objective will be to maintain the current offer of multiple digital channels, including the possibilities of disconnection that already exist. Likewise, guarantees of continuity will be included for the audiovisual sector, especially ensuring access to the sub 700 spectrum for DTT services at least until the horizon of 2030.

Action Plan

In addition to the regulatory instruments, the Ministry foresees the preparation of an Action Plan in which the actions to be carried out derived from the approved standards, the coordination and execution mechanisms of the process, and the resources necessary to carry it out will be identified. Its main objective will be to execute the necessary actions, minimizing as much as possible the impact on affected citizens and agents, and in accordance with the established deadlines and requirements.

The responsibility for coordinating and monitoring the different actions aimed at achieving the second digital dividend will be the responsibility of the Secretary of State for the Information Society and the Digital Agenda (SESIAD). To this end, a technical office will be established from which the collaboration and participation of the agents involved will be sought.

These actions would take place in the field of frequencies (make the necessary adjustments in the geographical areas defined in the National Technical Plan and adopt the necessary measures to guarantee the use of the new radio channels planned in the National Technical Plan, in the absence of interference); in the technical field (such as promoting a harmonized deployment over time, in the different geographical areas and promoting that simulcast broadcasts be carried out in a coordinated manner in each geographical area); monitoring and control; and public communication.

Cost compensation

Decision 2017/899 contemplates aspects related to the costs of the migration process, mentioning that national roadmaps should address information on the possibility of offering compensation for migration costs, where these exist, in order to avoid, among other things, costs for end users or broadcasters.

The roadmap provides for compensation of migration costs, to the extent that it is possible to complete the notification and approval procedures by the European Commission, in accordance with budgetary availability. It is planned to adopt the necessary regulation in this regard before the end of 2018.

Specifically, it is planned to provide compensation to cover the costs derived from the reception or access to television audiovisual communication services in the buildings affected by the release of the 700 MHz band (second digital dividend) as well as other compensations intended to cover the costs derived from the changes that must be made to the transmission equipment of the audiovisual communication service providers, at national or regional level, as a consequence of the frequency changes derived from the release of the 700 MHz band (second digital dividend).

Access to the full document.

The roadmap

• October 2018: Communication actions begin.
• December 2018: Publication of the royal decrees for the compensation of costs of the liberation process of the 700 MHz band.
• December 2018: Publication of the Royal Decree approving the National Technical Plan for Digital Terrestrial Television, and the measures for the release of the 700 MHz band.
• January 2019: Beginning of the execution of the process for the release of the second digital dividend.
• January 2019: Switching on the first simultaneous broadcasts on the new frequencies.
• October 2019: Switching on, if applicable, of the last transmitters with simultaneous emissions of 6 months.
• March 2020: End of deployment, switching on the last transmitters without a simultaneous broadcast period, and switching off emissions in the 694-790 MHz band.
• June 2020: Deadline established in Decision (EU) 2017/899 for the availability of the 694-790 MHz band for the provision of electronic communications services.