Transition from Analogue to Digital TV in Germany Transition From
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Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany BMWA Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour Jörg Hachmeyer General Frequency matters 1 Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany Why going digital now? aBroadcasting will become a full part of modern integrated media systems aNew possibilities for value creation aMore efficient use of scarce frequency resources 2 Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany Steps to reach the goal aResolution of Federal Cabinet of 17 December 1997 `Start of "Digital Broadcasting" Initiative `Mandate to develope a common strategy with relevant organisations/bodies 3 Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany aResolution of Federal Cabinet of 24 August 1998 `Approval of the strategy `Mandate for further action by Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (Labour): Continuation of the initiative and implementation of the strategy aLaunch Scenario 2000 `Presented during World Exhibition 2000 in Hannover 4 Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany Achieved results aConsensus between parties on objectives `Digitalisation as quickly as possible, 2010 at the latest `Separate scenarios for satellite, cable and terrestrial transmission 5 6 7 Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany Situation of terrestrial television in Germany aTerrestrial broadcasting facing problems `high costs `unattractive (too few channels, no new services) `declining audience aanalogue terrestrial broadcasting has no future aDigitalisation will bring it into line with developments in other areas 8 Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany Transition scenario of terrestrial TV aisland-based switchover (2002-2010) aSimulcast as far and short as possible aportable indoor reception right from the start (not nation-wide) amobile reception where ever possible 9 Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany asingle frequency networks right from the start aat least 12 until 16 programme equivalents in the initial phase aprovision of programmes, media services and teleservices ahybride networks as an option 10 Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany How to proceed aPhase of developing Strategies and Scenarios has been finalised aNow we open the regular service aStart in Berlin at the first of November 2002 aBinding Agreement between market players (MOU signed on February 13, 2002) 11 Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany The Concept for switchover in Berlin with 3 stages aat least one high-power analogue channel to be switch to digital (1. Nov. 2002) athe high-power transmitters to be switched to digital (28. Feb. 2003) aall analogue frequencies to be switched off (4. Aug. 2003) 12 Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany The communication compaign Goal: informing the homes Tools: ainformation spots and running bar information on TV-channels ainformation in newspapers and special gazettes aletter to every home 13 Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany The communication compaign Tools: ainformation in the shops aclose co-operation with tenants association and local consumer associations ahotline 14 Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany Receivers asimple receivers for less than 200 € from the very start (to day already less the 100 €) aup to now ~ 180.000 devices sold 15 Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany Switchover in a socially acceptable manner ato make switchover affordable also for homes with only low income asets for hire at 8,50 €/month during the introduction phase to low-income homes aprovision of some 6.000 devices by the association of free welfare organisations 16 Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany Transmitter networks anew assignements of frequencies areduction of transmitter power (from 500-1000 KW to 70-200 KW in average) ain the largest part of the city reception with a room antenne anetwork with only 3 sites 17 Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany Reasons for success athe right moment athe right region (only 3 site were needed) aacceptance by the public and private broadcasters aa lead management by mabb abinding commitment agreater variety of content (7 Mux with 28 program.) anew facilities (portable, mobile) aswitchover, a very short simulcast afunding of commercial broadcasters 19 Transition from analogue to digital TV in Germany aNation wide transition on the bases of the results of the Regional Radio Conference in Geneva 2004/2006 up to 2010 at the latest. A quicker transition is possible and desirable but market dependent. 20 Berlin goes digital The switchover of terrestrial television from analogue to digital transmission in Berlin-Brandenburg Experiences and perspectives The switch-off of the last analogue terrestrial frequencies in Berlin-Potsdam on 4 August 2003 marks the completion of the world's first switchover from traditional ter- restrial TV transmission to DTT. The results of this process provide encouraging findings to continue along this route. The report below presents the switchover scenario, the experiences gained and the perspectives to be developed from it; a comprehensive documentation is under prepa- ration. 1. The start-up scenario for the switchover The decline of terrestrial reception The number of homes receiving TV through the air has been going down continually in recent years. In national terms, the trend is as follows: 2 This decline could not even be slowed down by the above-average number of ana- The switchover is a prime objective of the European Union's e-Europe action plan. The logue services available in Berlin-Brandenburg where as many as 12 channels could states of Berlin and Brandenburg were the first regions in Germany taking an according be received terrestrially. initiative: an early amendment of the interstate media services treaty governing the cooperation of the states of Berlin and Brandenburg in the broadcasting sector and an according amendment of the Broadcasting Act for the public-sector broadcasting cor- poration (ORB) paved the way towards appropriate legislation for the switchover. At the initiative of the states, the Interstate Broadcasting Treaty governing broadcasting in all German states was also amended to permit all public-sector broadcasters to effect the technology changeover as well. Section 52 lit a) entitles public-sector broadcasters to gradually discontinue analogue terrestrial transmission under certain conditions to al- low for the build-up and allocation of digital terestrial transmission capacities in a phased process. Under section 52 lit a) of the Interstate Broadcasting Treaty, television services so far using analogue transmission capacities must be given preference when the first digital terrestrial transmission capacities are allocated. The interstate media services treaty taken out between Berlin and Brandenburg in addition requires the cable network op- erators to continue re-transmission of services after switchover that had been awarded analogue capacities before. Section 46 of the interstate media services treaty regulates the role and participation of the Berlin-Brandenburg regulatory authority, mabb, in the switchover process and enti- tles mabb to draw up special statutes governing the allocation of digital terrestrial fre- quencies. Under this statute, capacities permitting the transmission of broadcasting services, media services and other services may be decided upon and allocated jointly. The allocation can be effected under public law via a public contract. The mabb media Before DTT roll-out, terrestrial reception was as follows: council based its decision of 9 July 2001 on this provision. 160.000 homes with terrestrial reception only In the Memorandum of Understanding agreed on 13 February 2002, 90.000 homes with terrestrial reception for 2nd and 3rd sets of 1.8 millions television households in the area of reception overall. the public-sector broadcasting corporations ARD, ZDF, RBB (successor to ORB and SFB as of May 2003), The DTT pilot project and experiences with DTT all over the world the private broadcasting services of the RTL group and the ProSiebenSAT.1 Me- dia AG, DTT test operation since August 1997 in single-frequency networks in a joint pilot project of Deutsche Telekom, mabb and SFB. and the mabb First frequency (channel 51, n-tv) switched from analogue to digital transmission. laid down the key elements of the switchover. 16-QAM 2/3 modulation established as suitable transmission technology for achieving portable indoor reception. The concept for switchover The failure of digital subscription (pay) television in the UK and Spain underline The switchover was scheduled to take three stages: that switchover must be undertaken with free-to-air television. During stage one, at least one high-power analogue channel was to be switched to digital transmission to demonstrate the quality of DTT and to provide some orien- The legal framework for the switchover tation for the households affected regarding new receivers to be purchased. Under the Digital Broadcasting Initiative of the Federal government and the German In stage two, the high-power transmitters were to be switched to digital signals; a- states, transmission should be completely digital by the year 2010. Under the specifi- nalogue transmission of all national commercial broadcasters would stop, and the cations of the Telecommunications Act (TKG), television frequencies must be operated public-sector services would continue analogue transmission only via lower-power exclusively in digital technology as of 2010.