Italy

[IT] Switch-Off for Analog Transmissions Fixed for 2006

IRIS 2001-4:1/21

Maja Cappello

Autorità per le garanzie nelle comunicazioni (AGCOM)

On 20 March 2001, the Italian Parliament converted decreto-legge (decree-law) no. 5/2001, which contains urgent provisions on local radio and television broadcasting, into Act no. 66/2001 (Conversione in legge, con modificazioni, del decreto-legge 23 gennaio 2001, n. 5, recante disposizioni urgenti per il differimento di termini in materia di trasmissioni radiotelevisive analogiche e digitali, nonché per il risanamento di impianti radiotelevisivi, Legge of 20 March 2001, no. 66). In addition to the provisions already laid down by the decree-law (see IRIS 2001-2: 9), Act no. 66/2001 introduces a new article (2bis) concerning digital terrestrial television transmissions and terrestrial broadband audiovisual systems.

The provision of experimental television transmissions and Information Society services by digital means is reserved to subjects already providing television services via terrestrial frequencies, cable or satellite. For this purpose, interested broadcasters may create consortia and share facilities and frequencies. Similar provisions also apply to radio broadcasters. Digital transmissions have to conform to the Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) and the Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) standards.

The switch from analog to digital transmission is forecast for 2006. The Autorità per le garanzie nelle comunicazioni (Communications Authority) must adopt a regulation concerning the licensing of digital terrestrial radio or television broadcasting by 30 June 2001. Licences and authorisations will be issued by the Ministero delle comunicazioni (Ministry of Communications) on the basis of the relevant frequency plans. The Authority must adopt the national digital radio broadcasting frequency plan by 31 December 2001 and the national digital television broadcasting frequency plan by 31 December 2002.

On a local level, the Ministry of Communications may also issue licences for audiovisual interactive transmissions and Multimedia Wireless System (MWS) services. Act no. 66/2001 vests the Ministry with the power to define, by June 2001, a programme for the development of new technologies for digital terrestrial and satellite television broadcasting and for the introduction of wireless terrestrial audiovisual systems. By September 2001, the Ministry will carry out a study on the convergence between telecommunications and audiovisual sectors and the new information society services in order to draw up a proposal for the Communications Authority on the regulation of multimedia television broadcasting.