Conference VITEL 2010

Digital switchover

Challenges, solutions and cross border cooperation

Programme

Day 1, Thursday October 21st

8:00 Registration and coffee

9:00 Opening of the Conference

- Gregor Golobič, minister, Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology

9:15 Keynote speech

- Daniel Sauvet-Goichon, Chairman of DigiTAG (Digital Terrestrial Action Group)

10:00 – 12:00 Session One: DIGITAL SWITCHOVER

Moderator: Tanja Kerševan Smokvina

Several countries in the region are well advanced in the switchover process whereas others
are still in the planning phase. Slovenia is planning to switchover simultaneously nationwide,
while other countries will take a region by region approach. But regardless of the switchover
strategy the process is often challenged by certain problems relating to the public awareness
campaign or difficult coordination of the frequency spectrum in the transition period,
particularly in the case of securing spectrum for local and regional TV channels.

- Slovenia (Simultaneous switch off) – Miha Krišelj, Post and Electronic Communication
Agency of Slovenia
- Croatia (Lessons learned from the region by region approach) – Ivana Andrijašević,
eCroatia, Danijel Vidaković, Croatian Post and Electronic Communications Agency
- Serbia (Introducing DVB-T2) - dr. Irini Reljin, Ministry for Telecommunications and
Information Society of Serbia
- Austria (Completed switchover with some small analogue transmitters still in operation)
Jakob Gschiel, Austrian Regulatory Authority for Broadcasting and Telecommunications

12:00 – 13:30 Lunch

13:30 – 15:30 Session Two: LEGISLATION

Moderator: Tina Čuček
Licensing of television channels for digital terrestrial broadcasting varies from country to
country. Approaches range from restrictive models, resulting in the prevention of
development of new digital content enabled by the flexibility of the new broadcasting
technology which allows the simple addition of new channels to existing DTT multiplexes; to
a more liberal approach allowing to use multiplexes in more innovative way. Therefore the
programme licensing regime has a strong influence on the amount of spectrum use in
particular countries.

- Italy, Vincenzo Lobianco, AGCOM

- Slovenija, Tanja Kerševan Smokvina, Post and Electronic Communication Agency of
Slovenia
- Croatia - Damir Hajduk, The Electronic Media Council/ELECTRONIC MEDIA
AGENCY
- Hungary, Zsolt Kozma, National Media and Infocommunications Authority

15:30 – 15:45 Coffee Break

15:45 – 18:15 Session Three: TECHNOLOGY

Moderator: prof.dr.Jurij Tasič

Implementation of DTT networks is, to a certain extent, a challenge to the network operators
who alongside various new technical issues are faced with the problems of “pre-echo” and
synchronisation of the single frequency networks either via the GPS system or by the
synchronisation over the backbone network. In addition the dilemma of transition from DVB-
T to DVB-T2 is becoming an important topic.

- Reliability of DTT networks - Frank Brown, ARQIVA

- Synchronisation of DTT networks – Frode Gautvik, Norkring
- Experiences with Conformance Assessment of DVB-T receivers in Slovenia – dr. Roman
Kužnar, Sintesio
- Availability of DVB-T services and the importance of SLA - Rolf Ollmar, BRIDGE
Technologies Co. AS.

19:00 Dinner/Cocktail party…

Day 2 Friday 22nd

9:00 – 11:00 Session Four: DIGITAL DIVIDEND

Moderator: Alojz Hudobivnik

Digital dividend may reduce the digital divide in society, namely by reducing the gap between
people having access to the Internet and those who do not. Frequencies released after
analogue switchover can be used for wireless access to the internet in rural areas where there
is successful coordination between neighbouring countries. But even if countries agree on
such use of the dividend some challenges remain, such as how this part of the spectrum can
be used in small countries with short border lines, many neighbours and consequently
substantial cross border influence.
- Mobile operator view - Matjaž Beričič, Peter Zidar, MOBITEL
- Regulatory issues – Matjaž Mušič, Post and Electronic Communication Agency of
Slovenia
- Digital divide – dr. Davorka Šel, Directorate for the information society
- Balancing mobile and broadcasting, Daniel Sauvet-Goichon, DigiTag

11:00 – 11:15 Coffee Break

11:15 – 12:45 ROUND TABLE “FUTURE TV”

Moderator: Miha Krišelj

- Introductionary paper:
DVB-T within the emerging new TV services: a prerequisite or an anachronism - Urban
Burnik, Matej Zajc, Janez Zaletelj, Jurij F. Tasič, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of
Electrical Engineering
- Participants:
x dr. Davorka Šel, Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
x Branko Čakarmiš, ProPlus
x Marko Filli, RTV Slovenia
x Robert Šveb, MediaHub
x Urban Burnik, Faculty of Electrical Engineering

12:45 – 14:00 Lunch

14:00 – 17:00 Social Event: Guided Tour of Ljubljana