Norway

[NO] DTT License Granted

IRIS 2006-10:1/35

Lars Winsvold

Attorney at Law, Fredrikstad

The license to build and operate the Digital Terrestrial Network for Television (DTT) in Norway was earlier this year assigned to a company named Norges television AS. The owners are the public service broadcaster NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corp.), the commercial (also public service) broadcaster TV 2 and Telenor Broadcast Holding AS,a major player in the field of distribution of broadcasting and telecom. The three partners hold equal ownership shares. There were no other applicants competing for this digital terrestrial network license. There are a total of five multiplexes (six in some regions). The network will be rolled out in stages and the last region is due for completion by the end of 2009. The first transmissions will take place by fall 2007. The analogue switch-off will subsequently follow. At least three of the multiplexes should have (nearly) nationwide coverage. The operator will initially be offering some 20 to 25 TV channels, including the national must-carry services (free) and other services chosen at its discretion. The transmission standard, MPEG-4, will allow for a number of services to be in the HDTV-format. The network will have the capacity to carry more services after the analogue switch-off. The licensee has at the same time an obligation to offer a share of the capacity to other gatekeeper companies, in order to improve competition.