Hungary

[HU] Digital Terrestrial Radio and Television Services Due to Commence

IRIS 2008-9:1/22

Márk Lengyel

Körmendy-Ékes & Lengyel Consulting, Budapest

On 5 September 2008 the representatives of the Nemzeti Hírközlési Hatóság (National Communications Authority - NHH) and the national transmission company Antenna Hungária (AH) signed the agreements on the launch of commercial DTT and DAB services.

The signature has closed the tendering procedures initiated in March 2008 (see IRIS 2008-5:12). In spring the NHH published two separate invitations to tender. One concerned the right to operate five terrestrial TV broadcasting networks while the subject of the other call was the operation of one terrestrial DAB network. Both of the tenders concerned national services. There were two applicants for each of the possibilities. As regards DTT AH and Digital Broadcasting, a newly formed company presented concurring bids. Concerning DAB, AH competed with the offer of the Hungarian public service radio company, Magyar Rádió. Both of the tenders were won by AH.

According to the agreements, concluded between NHH and AH the DTT service will be launched in December this year. AH has chosen the MPEG4 standard for the purposes of broadcasting. The initial area of reception of the service will cover approximately 60 % of the Hungarian population. According to its commitments, the coverage of DTT will reach 88% by the end of next year.

AH also undertook to launch mobile television services. By the end of 2008 this is expected to cover 16 % of the Hungarian population. For 2012 this proportion is established at 50 %, but subject to market conditions coverage may also reach 70 % - 80 % by that time.

The switch-off of the analogue television network is scheduled for 2011, at which point DTT is expected to have universal coverage.

Digital radio broadcasting services are also to be launched by the end of this year. The initial coverage will be 30 % of the population. The reach of the national coverage is scheduled by 2013-2014.