THE BROADCASTING Authority of Ireland (BAI) has ruled out introducing commercial digital terrestrial television (DTT) until after analogue television services are switched off at the end of 2012.
The BAI said it would review possible dates for the launch of commercial DTT at the end of 2011, at which point it might seek fresh expressions of interest.
A competition could be held in 2012 with a view to commercial DTT coming onstream in 2013, it said. In a statement, the BAI also indicated that it intends to ask the Department of Communications to give it the power to mediate between future commercial DTT operators and RTÉ NL, which controls the transmission network.
The failure of the original commercial DTT licensing awards, which began in 2008, has been attributed to both the deteriorating economic climate and the failure of the first- and second-choice applicants to successfully conclude negotiations with RTÉ NL.
“Formal” relationships with future applicants and RTÉ NL would enable the BAI to “invoke a statutory mediation process in the event of disagreement on the terms of the transmission arrangements”, the BAI said yesterday.
The authority said it had “decided that it would not be practicable” to reactivate the licensing process “in the immediate future”. It cited economic circumstances and the need for legislative change.
The BAI also stressed it would concentrate on the successful introduction of the public service broadcasting DTT multiplex, which will replace analogue.
“The broadening of choice for viewers and the development of new sources of Irish-originated content continue to be important priorities in the development of DTT,” it said.
RTÉ plans to spend €70 million on the new public service DTT network, which will operate from 51 transmitter sites and provide coverage to 98 per cent of the population.
The remaining 2 per cent will be serviced by a new satellite service.
The switch from analogue to digital is designed to free up spectrum that can be used for broadband and mobile services.
Paul Donovan, chief executive of Eircom, said in May that the Eircom-led OneVision consortium – the second-placed applicant in the original commercial licensing process – “still exists” and would be willing to enter into negotiations with the BAI in the future.
