IMPLEMENTATION OF TERRESTRIAL DIGITAL TELEVISION IN ROMANIA Ministry of Communications and Information Society (Romania)

In September 2005, the European Commission adopted a Communication on the priorities of the European spectrum policy in view of the transition to the digital television, proposing as deadline for the entire EU, the year This document underlines the fact that this initiative follows the efforts of the EU to become the most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy and to keep up with the last tendencies in the area of electronic communications. Legal framework

Implementation of terrestrial digital television The obligations assumed by the Romanian government as a EU member state, as well as the major interest to improve the response to the consumers needs determined the launch of the switchover process in Romania. The Romanian government took the first step in this direction by adopting the National Policy Document regarding the transition from analog to digital television and the implementation of the digital multimedia services at national level. As a result, the Romanian government decided to implement the digital television services at national level and to shut down the analog transmission untill January 1st 2012.

Allocation of multiplexes The national policy document stipulates the allocation of 6 digital multiplexes for the DVB-T and, taking into account the interest of potential operators, for the DVB-H technology. Following this logic, in 2009, 2 digital multiplexes in the UHF band will be submitted to conditions of compatibility with the Geneva RRC-06 frequency plan. They will have to transmit the national public television channels as well as the channels of the private providers which have significant coverage and audience.

The 2 multiplexes will be assigned through 2 separate auctions that will take place in the same time. They will ensure the retransmission in similar conditions of all TV channels that own and operate analog licenses at least until these licenses expire. According to the calendar set up by the Policy document, the two multiplexes should ensure, by the end of the transition, up to 90% of the population and 80% of the territory coverage with national public TV channels and up to 99% of the population and 85% of the territory until The other 4 multiplexes should be asigned taking into account the evolution of the switchover process, through a competitive auction.

Technical aspects As for the technical aspects, it has been decided that in Romania the digital transmission will be based on the digitization an compression of the information MPEG-4 format. This way, in a 8 MHz TV channel can be transmitted up to 7 or 8 TV channels structured in a digital multiplex.

In order to coordinate the switchover process, a Work Group shall be created, formed by the representatives of all the national institution with responsibilities in the field of electronic communications (the Ministry of Communication and Information Society, the National Regulatory Authority, the Ministry of Culture and Cults and the National Audiovisual Council) as well as The Ministry of Public Finances. The group is charged with the analysis of the National Frequency in order to assign frequencies for the multiplexes.

New services made available As a result of the elimination of the analog television services, some parts of the radio spectrum (the so called digital dividend) will be available. It will be used for: Audiovisual communication services ( which means more audiovisual programs, extended coverage, HDTV, mobile and portable television) Electronic communications (broadband access for remote areas, private mobile radio, military communications, public protection against disasters)

As for the financing of the switchover process, The Ministry of Public Finances as a member of the Work Group will analyze the financial measures to be put in place, including the legal ways and the methodology used to subsidize the set of box for the population who needs this kind of state help. Funding

Promote the switchover process The first step through the implementation of the National Policy Document regarding the transition from analog to digital television and the implementation of the digital multimedia services at national level is to launch starting August 1st 2009 a campaign to promote the switchover process and all its implications on the population. The funding for this campaign should be sustained by the National Audiovisual Council.

Thank you for your attention! Adrian IONESCU Director Ministry of Communications and Information Society (Romania)