1. Overview of digital television in Finland
Marrakech
Pekka Iiramo
Controller
Finnish Broadcasting Company

2. Finland Population 5.2 million TV-households 2.2 million
TV-licence fee price €

3. Statement by the Government (1)
The Government observed, that it is in the interest of consumers for licence-holders to agree on uniform technical solutions which serve the consumers. If pay television services are offered, the operators should strive together to commit themselves to a single card service solution and to uniform customer and subscriber management which serves the consumers.
June 1999
Media- ja EU-kehitys/MÖ
9/18/2018

4. Statement by the Government (2)
In addition, the Government observed that its objective is that the analogue network could be closed down by the end of 2006 when the analogue operating licences, which are currently in force, are due to expire. According to the Government, it will only be possible to make the final decision on the matter later, once experiences of the start-up of digital television broadcasting have been obtained.
June 1999
Media- ja EU-kehitys/MÖ
9/18/2018

5. Statement by the Government (3)
The Government will review the situation again by the end of the year Then it will be possible also to grant new operating licences, if the digital distribution of television programming can be carried out more efficiently than now.
June 1999
Media- ja EU-kehitys/MÖ
9/18/2018

6. Planned characteristics of DTT in Finland
the aim of the operators was to have a launch in full scale and not step by step
the state put an obligation on the operators to co-operate
the regulator took the role of being in the background
disagreements would be solved within the joint DTT League Finland (not in public debate)
launch was to take place with a uniform open system (API) for the set-top-boxes: DVB MHP
a one card solution for the digital terrestrial pay TV services in Finland
no card for PSB programmes
Media- ja EU-kehitys/MÖ
9/18/2018

7. The allocation of three DTT multiplexes
Frequence plan approved on 23 June 1999 placing one multiplex at the disposal of YLE (public service)
Operating licences to commercial TV companies granted on 23 June by the Council of State (the Government) for eight channels on two multiplexes for the period
the operators in the same multiplex must agree on how the multiplexes are to be administered and submit the agreement to the Ministry of Transport and Communications
The administration of the multiplexes: YLE for multiplex A, MTV Finland for multiplex B and SanomaWSOY-owned SWelcom Oy for multiplex C (decided in December 1999)
Media- ja EU-kehitys/MÖ
9/18/2018

8. The first year before the actual launch:
a temporary multiplex-solution
simulcasts of YLE TV1, YLE TV2, MTV3 Finland and Channel Four Finland
pilot transmissions of YLE24 news channel
YLE’s experimental transmissions from the Sydney Olympics :
all services transmitted from their own multiplexes
experimental transmissions by the Sports Channel
YLE experiments, e.g. super-teletext
: launch date
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9/18/2018

9. The launch & first phase of DTT in Finland
temporary multiplex solutions and experimental transmissions took place in the year before the actual launch on 27 August 2001
however the MHP boxes were delayed
one channel therefore never started
less advanced set top box availability was limited in the beginning especially rent boxes for cable reception
two pay TV channels dropped out in December 2001
penetration in households: approx. 3,000 in autumn 2001; 10,000 in February 2002; 20, ,000 in May (In May 2005: 677,000.)
as of the network coverage was 70%
Media- ja EU-kehitys/MÖ
9/18/2018

10. The DTT strategy of the Ministry
The Ministry of Transport and Communications released
its digital television strategy on 2 May 2002:
the state is to create good operating prerequisites for digital television
the state is not to bear economic responsibility and will not claim any part of the future profits
there are to be no device subsidies or tax reductions
network rentals are not to be paid out of state funds
a fourth multiplex is to be used primarily for data transfer
A working group appointed in Oct 2002 presented its
proposals about the fourth network in June 2003
Media- ja EU-kehitys/MÖ
9/18/2018

11. Legislative changes
new legislation came into effect on 1 July 2002 and moved the regulation concerning digital television networks to the Communications Market Act
the new legislation introduced digital network licences. Applications were submitted by YLE, MTV Finland, SWelcom and the transmission network owner Digita
also, the operating licence fee paid by the commercial TV companies was cut by 50% and,
digital television operations were freed from paying an operating licence fee during the ongoing licence period
In November 2002 Digita was granted the network licences for all three multiplexes
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9/18/2018

12. 1.9.2000 3 stations 39 % population coverage
Digitalization of the broadcast network
3 stations
39 % population coverage
Media- ja EU-kehitys/MÖ
9/18/2018

13. 1.4.2001 5 stations 50 % population coverage
Digitalization of the broadcast network
5 stations
50 % population coverage
9/18/2018

14. 31.12.2001 10-12 stations 70 % population coverage
Digitalization of the broadcast network
10-12 stations
70 % population coverage
9/18/2018

15. Digitalization of the broadcast network
99.9 % population coverage
9/18/2018

16. Government resolution on the switch-over to digital television broadcasting
the Government made the decision on switching off analogue television broadcasting and switching over to solely digital television broadcasting in Finland 31 August 2007.
Media- ja EU-kehitys/MÖ
9/18/2018

17. Media- ja EU-kehitys/MÖ
9/18/2018

18. Digital Television Transmissions in Finland
A fourth multiplex will be used for mobile purposes. Pilot project
VTT Technical Research Center of Finland is network operator of two regional trial networks.
Network operator Digita, DVB-MHP-transm.
MUX A
MUX B
MUX C
for public service
YLE TV1
Sports Ch.
MTV3 *
Pay-tv, network coverage at least 70% and thus not must carry channels (operating licence held by C More Entertainment (former Canal+ Finland), as of Feb 2005 owned by SBS Broadcasting.
YLE TV2
Canal channels *
SubTV
YLE24
Nelonen
YLE Teema
The Voice **
YLE FST
MTV3+ *****
Regional ***
Over Turku and Kuopio.
6 radio channels
Nelonen Plus
***
2 owned by SBS Broadcasting
3 radio channels****
****
Data/ MHP-services
Partly pay-tv
MHP-services
*****
Data/MHP-services
”Estradi” for short-term broadcasts using leftover capacity. SexTV.fi max 4 hours/week
Digita’s transmission network (Coverage 2001:72%=>A&B: 94% June 2004, 99,9% Sept 2005)
EU and Media Unit/ MS, MÖ
September 2005