Romania

[RO] New digital terrestrial television multiplexes granted

IRIS 2015-7:1/28

Eugen Cojocariu

Radio Romania International

Five new regional and local multiplexes in Suceava, Botosani, Bacau, Buzau and Piatra Neamt (the northern and eastern parts of Romania) have been awarded in the third auction held by the National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (Autoritatea Naţională pentru Administrare şi Reglementare în Comunicaţii - ANCOM) for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) multiplexes (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, IRIS 2014-5/29, IRIS 2014-9/27 and IRIS 2015-5/33). A regional multiplex will cover the whole county with digital terrestrial television services, whereas a local multiplex will serve specific assignment areas, which may correspond to one locality. All the multiplexes will be awarded for a 10-year period.

Following the initial bids, the company Info Total Press S.A. acquired three multiplexes (two regional ones in Suceava and Botosani and a local one in Bacau), for which it will pay EUR 18 200, representing the total licence fee. TV Sat 2002 won 1 regional multiplex in Buzau, for which it will pay EUR 8 000. The multiplex in Piatra Neamt was awarded, following a record number of 42 primary rounds, which took place between 18 - 26 May 2015, to Grup Est Security S.R.L., while the licence fee to be paid amounts to EUR 41 600. The licence fees, amounting to a total of EUR 67 800 are to be paid to the state budget within ninety calendar days from the announcement of the results.

This was the third auction organised by ANCOM for awarding DTT multiplexes. The first DTT auction was completed in June 2014, when three national multiplexes were awarded to the state owned National Broadcasting Company (Societatea Naţională de Radiocomunicaţii S.A - SNR). The company won the free-to-air multiplex and two other multiplexes in the UHF band for a licence fee of EUR 1 020 002. Nine regional DTT multiplexes were awarded following an auction completed in February 2015. The winners were Regal, which was awarded one regional multiplex (Ramnicu Valcea in the southern half of Romania) for EUR 8 010, Cargo Sped, which was awarded one regional multiplex (Sibiu in the centre) for EUR 8 001, 2K Telecom, which was awarded five regional multiplexes (four in Bucharest and one in Ploiesti in the south) for a licence fee of EUR 52 000, Radio M Plus, which obtained one regional multiplex (Iasi in the north-east) for EUR 10 000 and Digital Video Broadcast, which won one regional multiplex (Satu Mare in the north-west) for EUR 8 000.

In the meantime, at the end of April 2015, the National Audiovisual Council (i Consiliul Naţional al Audiovizualulu - CNA) endorsed a Draft Law which provides that the analogue terrestrial broadcasting of public and commercial TV stations can continue temporarily until 31 December 2016. The Draft Law was introduced in view of the fact that analogue broadcasting in Romania must be stopped on 17 June 2015, according to the National Strategy approved by the Romanian Government with Government Decision no. 403/2013.