Free To Air Application Wins DTT Battle

The Independent Television Commission (ITC) has awarded the BBC and BSkyB the UK digital terrestrial television licences made available following the collapse of ITV Digital.

When applications were invited for the multiplex licences in May, the ITC recieved six submissions (see Four Bidders Emerge For Digital Terrestrial Licences), including one made jointly by ITV and Channel 4 (see ITV And Channel 4 Confirm Multiplex Application). Today’s decision means that the new DTT service will be free-to-view, comprising 28 channels.

The application from the BBC was linked to a complimentary application from transmission company Crown Castle. The ITC has offered the Multiplex B licence to the BBC and the remaining C and D licences to Crown Castle.

Greg Dyke, director general of the BBC said: “This is a fresh start for digital television in the UK and the best outcome for viewers. It won’t be an easy task- the platform has been through a major crisis- but we believe that a simple, entirely free-to-view digital option has the best chance of success with consumers.”

Peter Abery, president and managing director of Crown Castle, said: “We will now be working closely with the BBC to get the digital terrestrial platform, free from the technical problems that dogged ITV Digital, back up and running as quickly as possible.”

The ITC has said that following factors lay behind their decision:

• The opportunity provided by the consortium for a fresh start for DTT by offering a distinctive new proposition to consumers.
• The consortium’s top level resolve to launching and sustaining a service for the duration of the licence.
• Their approach to addressing technical issues required to improve the performance of the platform.
• The combination within the consortium of management strength-in-depth of its members and their ability and commitment to deliver the stated proposition and hence promote digital terrestrial television in the UK overall.

Sir Robin Biggam, chairman of the ITC, said: “The Commission believes that the BBC/Crown Castle application is the most likely to ensure the viability of digital terrestrial television. It will target viewers who have not been so far attracted by digital TV and will help facilitate the move towards digital switchover.”

BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk BSkyB: 020 7705 3000 www.sky.com

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