AMETIC criticises Spain’s 2nd switch off

Iñaki Ferreras | 06-11-2012

The Industrial Development Area Association of Electronics, Information Technology, Telecommunications and Digital Content (AMETIC) has warned that the new 'blackout' of DTT expected by 2014 will be "seriously damaging" to television quality and involve a change in the "rules of the game".

The Government has requested from AMETIC a new Plan to Enhance Digital Terrestrial Television and Technological Innovation, which is under development, and may lead to "possible adjustment" Framework Plan prepared by the previous Executive.

The Government has already announced that the new plan will involve the closure of a manifold for private television, the closing of a second manifold for RTVE (which can be compensated by using other multiple technical functions), and the closure of another multiple to regional television. Each manifold can issue up to six channels of standard definition or up to three high definition channels, or a combination of both.

According to AMETIC, closing these multiples would lead to "a limitation of available resources to deliver television, which will affect the total number of channels available, the quality of emissions, and the possible future of television."

The association also points out that in the new plan the cost of the necessary changes to antennas is to be carried out by the viewers and not the Government as was stated in the previous plan. The Government estimates this process will cost about €20 per household, and AMETIC notes that it will lead to "a more limited service than before, in content, quality, and potential for future development”.

The association, which represents electronics companies, IT, telecoms and digital businesses in Spain, says the plan "has breached the principle of legal certainty because it is an industry that requires continued investments to meet user demand and technological evolution of services. "

"Any change in the rules of the game made on the fly automatically implies a stagnation of the planned investments, and therefore the loss of jobs. Equipment manufacturers of broadcasting equipment, manufacturers of television reception equipment, network operators, TV and communications equipment installers had previously executed the Performances Framework Plan for the Liberation of the Digital Dividend and therefore believe they have been harmed by the change," said AMETIC.

The association also points out that the DTT is "the only telecommunications service free to users with a wide variety of content and reaches virtually the entire population" and any decision to limit the development of DTT "harms every home in Spain".

Similarly, AMETIC said that "the suppression of television channels is not required for mobile operators to have more frequencies to provide mobile broadband services."

At first, the release of the band 790-862MHz to telecoms companies was expected by January 2015, however in August the deadline was moved to January 2014 to accelerate the arrival of 4G technology to Spain.