Digital Terrestrial Television Italian regulation

1
Digital Terrestrial Television Italian
regulation

• 15th EPRA meeting
• Brussels, 16-17 May 2002
• Lisa Di Feliciantonio

2
Regulating DTT summary of main legislative steps

• National broadcasting environment
• Whole frequency spectrum currently in use
• Digital frequency allocation plan not issued yet
• Law 66/01
• establishes the transition to digital terrestrial
• guidelines for AGCOMs regulation
• AGCOM regulation
• Conditions for issuing licences and authorization
  and underlying business model
• Provisions for transitional period 2002 2006
• Rules for the protection of pluralism

3
Law 66/01

• Frequencies trading between operators in order
  to free technical resources for the kick off of
  digital terrestrial
• Operators can use frequencies acquired to start
  experimental DTT broadcasting
• But 40 of capacity must be reserved to
  independent content providers (transitional
  period)
• Digital switch over by December 2006

4
Analogue TV value chain regulatory obbligations
VERTICALLY INTEGRATED BROADCASTER
Rules on amount scheduling of
advertising Protection of minors European quotas
CONTENT
Antitrust rules on amount of frequency used
NETWORK
COND. ACCESS
Accounting separation Access rules
5
AGCOM Regulation licences and authorizations

• Key issue of the DTT reg fragmentation of value
  chain

CONTENT PROVIDER
NETWORK OPERATOR
SERVICE PROVIDER
Manages network infrastructures and frequencies
Creates/broadcasts programme schedules
Provides conditional access or information
society services
LICENCE
AUTHORIZATION
6
AGCOM Regulation business model

• Interaction between content providers and
  network operators is left to market dynamics
• Network operators will be awarded the frequencies
  and will negotiate with content providers and
  independent channels to put togheter an offer
• No limitation to ownership of networks
• National networks can carry local content and
  local networks can carry national content

7
AGCOM Regulation transition to DTT

• The transition will be lead by existing
  broadcasters
• Until March 2004 analogue broadcasters may apply
  for DTT provisional authorization
• The authorization will be valid untill July 2005
• Applicants that hold more than one TV license
  must ensure that 40 of their DTT capacity will
  be given to independent content providers
• From March 2004 those who have been authorized
  for experimentation may apply for a network
  operator licence.
• After 2006 available capacity will be granted to
  existing licensee or others

8
AGCOM Regulation pluralism and competition

• Independent content providers must be granted
  access and non-discriminatory conditions
• 1/3 of total capacity reserved to local
  broadcasters
• Same content provider cannot be granted
  authorization to broadcast more than 20 of
  digital television programmes
• Access to networks shall be granted by network
  operator on equal and non-discriminatory basis
• By 2004 the AGCOM will issue a new regulation to
  grant access to independent content providers in
  case of resources not sufficient to guarantee
  access to all requests