United Kingdom

[GB] Regulator Announces Proposals on Interoperability and Open Access for Digital Television

IRIS 1998-10:1/23

Tony Prosser

University of Bristol Law School

The Independent Television Commission, the UK broadcasting regulator, has announced its proposals for interoperability and open access in the digital age after undertaking a consultation exercise. Its aim is to ensure that viewers can be assured that digital television equipment can be used to access any digital platform. The proposals set out an agreed set of technical specifications across all digital platforms to ensure interoperability and a mechanism for developing them further. In the case of integrated digital televisions cable and satellite operators will not be obliged to support plug-in module versions of their proprietary technology. However, if the technology is embedded in a TV set then there will have to be a facility for a competitor's system to be plugged in via a common interface. Enforcement will be jointly by the Commission and the Office of Telecommunications.