Television sector in Italy
The national criteria for the digitalization of terrestrial tv broadcasting networks networks have been defined; TIMB has been assigned the temporary user rights to the bandwidths with reference only to three frequencies in some Italian regions.
AGCom established the national criteria for the complete
digitalization of terrestrial television broadcasting networks. At this time, a national dividend of five DVBT television networks is anticipated which will be auctioned in two parts, the first for three networks and the second for the other two.
AGCOM has begun, but has not yet concluded, the public consultation on the criteria for the auction of the digital dividends.
The text of the consultation presents a series of aspects for which changes have been requested since it believed that they do not comply with the actual law, including:
- the ban on trading the bandwidth awarded and a change in control of the company which was awarded the bandwidth
- assimilation of TIMB to RAI and Mediaset, the only two analog operators notified as dominant, with the resulting
exclusion from the auction for the first three networks.
The National Bandwidth Assignment Plan (NBAP), which would be necessary for choosing the bandwidths that the Ministry is offering for all the areas considered for complete digitalization, has not been published: the Telecom Italia Media group has indicated this critical area in all the competent offices.
The Ministry assigned TIMB the temporary user rights to the bandwidths with reference only to the three frequencies in Valle d’Aosta, Western Piedmont and Trentino Alto Adige.