Questionnaire

In February 2014, the European Commission issued a request for an opinion on a long-term strategy
on the future use of the !F band "4#0-#$0 %!&' in the European nion() *his +equest for an
,pinion follo-s the intention e.pressed by the +/01 in its 23or4 0rogramme 2014 and beyond2 to
de5elop a long-term strategy for the !F band 4#0-6$4 %!& in7luding a realisti7 5ision for the 8**
platform, and the assessment of the possible implementation of 399 in the 6$4-#$0 %!& band)
*he +/01 sub-group dealing -ith the de5elopment of the draft opinion on this matter is see4ing your
5ie-s in relation to the role of 8** platform, in7luding the 7urrent and planned use of the spe7trum in
the #00 %!&)
For this purpose, responses and details related to the follo-ing questions -ould be appre7iated before
July 30
th
)
1. 700 MHz band (694-790 MHz):
o 3hat is the 7urrent and planned spe7trum usage of the #00 %!& band:
Currently there are four national DVB-T MUXes in operation with 24 TV programme services
in total !! of them "eing #T$% #re&uencies for these MUXes have "een assigne' "y the
(ational )egulatory $uthority until 2*2+% There are ,+ DVB-T transmitters in -** M./
"an'0 which represents 47 % of the total num"er of transmitters in U.# "an' for these four
national DVB-T MUXes%
1n a''ition to that the Council for Broa'casting an' )etransmission assigne' many other
licenses to "roa'casters namely 2status as of 3! Decem"er 2*!345
2! licences with national coverage
22 licences with regional coverage an'
6+ licences with local coverage%
There are !+ regional an' local transmitters operating in -** M./ "an'0 it represents 33 %
of the total num"er of regional an' local transmitters of DVB-T in U.# "an'% #re&uencies for
these MUXes have "een assigne' "y the (ational )egulatory $uthority until 2*2*% 7ther 22
applications for local fre&uencies are in the process of coor'ination%
#uture5
1f we assume that the num"er of TV programme services will "e 8ept an' their &uality will "e
increase' to .D 2'ue to new receiving e&uipment in househol's4 then5
- for e9isting 24 TV programme services with national coverage a sufficient num"er of
DVB-T2 MUXes woul' "e nee'e' 2with M:;<-4 $VC !+2*=!*>*=26 or !+2*=!*>*=6*4
- the num"er of regional an' local transmitters 2fre&uencies4 shoul' "e maintaine'%
)elease of the -** M./ "an' woul' significantly affect the current situation in "roa'casting%
Due to the si/e of ?lova8 territory an' o"ligation to coor'inate all transmitters 2fre&uencies4
with neigh"ouring countries it is unrealistic to fin' new alternative channels for e9isting
transmitters operating in -** M./ "an'%
o !as your 7ountry already adopted national de7isions on the implementation of 399 in the
#00 %!& band: In 7ase that a national de7ision has not yet been ta4en, -hat is your
preliminary 5ie- on the possible implementation of 399 in the #00 %!& band:
$ccor'ing to the current (T#$ the -** M./ "an' has not yet "een allocate' to
ra'iocommunication services which woul' "e suita"le to provi'e @BB% $s this "an' is
intensively utili/e' "y DVB -T with long-term licenses for "roa'casters it is not foreseen to
use this "an' for @BB "efore 2*2+% @ith regar' to possi"le implementation of @BB in this
fre&uency "an' the ?lova8 )epu"lic has to ta8e into account e9isting situation in
"roa'casting%
o 8id you already ma4e an assessment of ad5antages and disad5antages of ha5ing a 7oordinated
approa7h on the implementation of 399 in the #00 %!& band "long term different use of the
spe7trum %,9I;E 5s) 9C, or only a limited different use, i)e) -hen 2 different dates are
7hosen by 2 neighbouring 7ountries':
@e have not ma'e such assessment yet% #rom our point of view it will "e inevita"le to ta8e
into account 'ifferent situations 2'ates4 in various countries while implementing @BB in the
-** M./ "an'%
2. !olut"on of the #$$ %latfor&:
o 8o you en5isage some pro5isions on a national le5el for fa7ilitating the transition to ne- 9C
te7hnologies in the !F band "i)e) 8<9-*2, !E<C':
The ?lova8 )epu"lic will prepare national plan for DVB-T2 operation in near future% This
activity will inevita"ly re&uire coor'ination with neigh"ouring countries% $ preparatory phase
of the cross "or'er coor'ination has alrea'y starte'%
o 8o you see a shift to other distribution platforms in the future:
@e assume that the shift "etween 'istri"ution platforms was more or less complete' 'uring the
transition from analogue to 'igital TV "roa'casting when an increase' interest of users in
DVB-?=-?2 DVB-C an' 1:TV was notice'% (o other significant changes are e9pecte'%
3. 'on( ter& )trate(y for the *H+ band:
=)1 *o -hat e.tent does the 8** platform play a spe7ifi7 role in your 7ountry to a7hie5e general
interest ob>e7ti5es "regulation, politi7al, so7ial
1
, 7ultural?e7onomi7
2
, et7)': @re these
ob>e7ti5es atta7hed to the spe7trum rights of use: If not, -here are these ob>e7ti5es laid
do-n: @re 8** rights of use granted to media ser5i7e pro5iders "i)e) the entity -hi7h has
editorial responsibility':
Before transition to DVB-T analogue terrestrial TV "roa'casting was relevant for !- A of
population as a primary source of TV signal an' 3+ A of population as a secon'ary source
respectively% $fter transition this percentage 'ecrease' 'ue to migration to other platforms
"ut DVB-T remains an important platform of reception% $s no 'etaile' survey was carrie' out
in last years more e9act 'ata are not availa"le%
The importance of 'igital terrestrial "roa'casting is also relate' to the term of fre&uency
licence perio' vali'ity as in'icate' in pu"lishe' rights of use 2see www%efis%'84% These rights
of use have "een grante' to networ8 operators%
1
0ro5ide details, if a5ailable, in relation to the implementation of @rti7le 14 of @udio5isual %edia /er5i7es
8ire7ti5e)
2
@7tion A2 of the 8igital @genda for Europe, 0romotion of European 7ultural di5ersity and industry)
1n Decem"er 2*!! the Ministry of Transport Construction an' )egional Development of the
?lova8 )epu"lic con'ucte' a survey regar'ing the awareness campaign relate' to
analogue='igital terrestrial TV switchover% The survey showe' that after the 'igital switchover
!22 A of the ?lova8 househol's use' terrestrial antenna to receive DTT%