Austria
[AT] Invitation of Tenders for Multiplex Platform
IRIS 2005-7:1/11
Robert Rittler
Gassauer-Fleissner Attorneys at Law, Vienna
KommAustria, the regulatory authority for Austrian private broadcasters, issued an invitation to tender for the creation and operation of a terrestrial multiplex platform in May 2005.
This followed extensive consultations, during which a digitisation plan was published in December 2003 (see IRIS 2004-3: 5). The plan comprises four stages, by the end of which all TV signals will be broadcast digitally. Following comprehensive testing of DVB-T (see IRIS 2003-8: 7), stage 1 of the digitisation plan will be completed when a licence is issued for the operation of the multiplex platform.
Applicants will have to show that they fulfil the technical, financial and organisational criteria for continuous transmission of digital channels and additional services. All applicants meeting these conditions will be considered in the selection procedure. KommAustria issued the MUX-Auswahlgrundsätzeverordnung 2005 (2005 Multiplex Selection Criteria Decree), which sets out the legal selection criteria. Preference will be given to applicants who can quickly achieve a high level of population coverage, offer excellent signal quality, include the broadcasting companies, offer a consumer-friendly service, submit a strategy for promoting the distribution of suitable receivers and offer a range of digital channels that best serves diversity of opinion.
References
- Ausschreibung der Zulassung zu Errichtung und Betrieb einer bundesweiten terrestrischen Multiplex-Plattform gemäß § 23 Abs. 1 PrTV-G (KOA 4.200/05-05), 10. Mai 2005
- http://www.rtr.at/web.nsf/deutsch/Rundfunk_Regulierung_Ausschreibungen_Ausschreibungen_aktuelleAusschreibungen_MUX-A4200-05-05?OpenDocument
- Invitation to tender for the creation and operation of a national terrestrial multiplex platform in accordance with Art. 23.1 PrTV-G (KOA 4.200/05-05), 10 May 2005
- 7. Verordnung der Kommunikationsbehörde Austria (KommAustria) zur näheren Festlegung der Auswahlgrundsätze für die Erteilung einer terrestrischen Multiplex-Zulassung 2005 (MUX-Auswahlgrundsätzeverordnung 2005 - MUX-AG-V 2005), 10. Mai 2005
- http://www.rtr.at/web.nsf/lookuid/C32C63622C57B654C1257000001D62B3/$file/MUX-Auswahlgrundsaetzeverordnung_2005.pdf
- 7th Decree of the Austrian communications authority (KommAustria) laying down more detailed selection criteria for the award of a terrestrial multiplex licence in 2005 (2005 Multiplex Selection Criteria Decree - MUX-AG-V 2005), 10 May 2005
This article has been published in IRIS Legal Observations of the European Audiovisual Observatory.