Romania

[RO] Three out of five multiplexes awarded

IRIS 2014-9:1/27

Eugen Cojocariu

Radio Romania International

Following the digital television auction, three out of five multiplexes allocated to Romania were awarded to the state-owned National Broadcasting Company S.A. - RADIOCOM (Societatea Naţională de Radiocomunicaţii S.A. - RADIOCOM) for a total licence fee of EUR 1,020,002. The company RADIOCOM won one multiplex under the obligation to air free broadcasting and two other multiplexes in the UHF band sector (see IRIS 2010-3/34, IRIS 2010-7/32, IRIS 2010-9/35, IRIS 2011-4/33, IRIS 2013-6/30, IRIS 2014-4/26 and IRIS 2014-5/29). The National Authority for the Management and the Regulation of Communication Affairs ANCOM (Autoritatea Naţională pentru Administrare şi Reglementare în Comunicaţii) granted RADIOCOM the licences for the use of the radio spectrum and for the purpose of operating the three digital national television multiplexes. The licences cover a ten-year period and enter into force on 17 June 2015.

In relation to the first multiplex in UHF (MUX 1), RADIOCOM will have an obligation to broadcast the public and private TV stations that are currently broadcast in the analogue terrestrial system, under transparent, competitive, and non-discriminatory conditions. As the only multiplex with such coverage obligations, this multiplex will have to ensure coverage for 90% of the population and of 80% of the territory by 31 December 2016.

For the other multiplexes that RADIOCOM won, the state-owned company will have the obligation to establish the operation of at least 36 emission stations for each of the networks corresponding with these multiplexes by 1 May 2017 (one installed in each allocation area).

According to the 2006 Geneva Agreement signed by Romania and the Strategy approved by the Government, the digital switchover in Romania will be completed by 17 June 2015. On 17 June 2015, all analogue terrestrial broadcasting will be switched off and replaced by the digital terrestrial broadcasting of TV programmes and related multimedia services.

ANCOM auctioned five multiplexes in the DVB-T2 standard, four in UHF and one in VHF. In accordance with the provisions of the audiovisual Law, the first multiplex in UHF (MUX 1) will be used to broadcast the public and private televisions stations free to air, that are currently broadcast in the analogue terrestrial system under transparent, competitive and non-discriminatory conditions. There were two qualified bidders, the private owned operator RCS&RDS S.A. and RADIOCOM.

According to RADIOCOM, the provider will broadcast the programmes of the public television TVR as well as programmes of other content producers through the three digital multiplexes, accounting for a total of approximately 40 channels in SD format. The multiplexes also allow for the broadcasting of HD programmes. RADIOCOM will also be able to provide related services, such as subtitles, EPG (Electronic Programme Guide), Video on Demand (VoD) and data transmission (e.g. weather bulletins).