SP: EC takes action on decoders

The EC has given formal notice to the Spanish government that it must amend Spain’s ley Digital (which took effect on 3 May – see AIG Notices 18) following a complaint from the digital television provider CanalSatelite; the complaint argued that the new law was obstructing the company in its competition with rival Telefonica. The ley Digital authorised the use of a decoder system called multicrypt – developed and marketed by the Via Satellite group, headed by the national telecoms operator Telefonica. However, authorisation was denied to a rival system, simulcrypt, used by more than 30,000 CanalSatelite subscribers.