Telecom watchdog takes out for sale new digital TV licenses

The Romanian telecom watchdog ANCOM has posted on its website the announcement and task book for the public tender that will see the allocation of two national digital television multiplexes that were not been allocated during the previous procedure, as well as 40 regional multiplexes and 19 local ones.

A new tender will therefore be organized to make sure that the transition to digital terrestrial television and the cease of the terrestrial analog signal until the stipulated term of June 17, 2015, take place.

Each national multiplex will allow to provide digital terrestrial television services across the entire country while the regional and local multiplexes will cover an allocation area that can be the size of a county or locality.

The allocation of the multiplexes will start after each bidder submits an initial offer in which to stipulate what categories and number of multiplexes they wish to acquire.

If the demand exceeds the offer in the case of certain multiplexes, the tender can go on with primary rounds, while the others will be granted based on the initial offer.

After the winners and prices for each multiplex are settled, the tender will proceed with an allocation round in which the multiplexes will be given for use based on the supplementary sums they wish to pay for a certain frequency.

The multiplexes will be allocated for ten years and the winners can broadcast after June 17, 2015.

Until May 1, 2017, the winners of the two national multiplexes must switch on at least 36 broadcasting devices, while the winners of the regional and local multiplexes must switch on at least one such device in each area.

The minimum license tax for each of the two national multiplexes- which is the starting price in the tender- will be EUR 300,000.

In the case of regional and local multiplexes, the starting price varies between EUR 12,000 for a regional multiplex in Bucharest and EUR 1,000 for a multiplex allocated in a locality that is not a county residence.

The license taxes were set by the Government in February 2014.

The first offers will be opened at the start of January and ANCOM will announce if it is necessary to organize the auction for certain categories.

“We expect this tender will attract the current owners of local licenses for broadcasting television programs in analog format who wish to broadcast in the ether also after June 17, 2015,” said Catalin Marinescu, president of ANCOM.

The price of the task book is RON 4,000.

After receiving the applications, the Commission will evaluate the files and will announce until January 20, 2015, the candidates who made it to the future stages of the selection procedure.

Otilia Haraga

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