DE: Digital Wars Ceasefire

Two of Europe’s biggest players in digital TV development – the German companies Kirch and Bertelsmann – have agreed to stop selling their TV set-top decoder boxes (which can be used for receiving multiple channels and interactive broadcasts) and their digital pay-TV services until the Commission has completed an investigation into the German digital TV market. Kirch and Bertelsmann faced fines if they continued selling the boxes before the Commission completed its inquiry, the aim of which is to determine if the two companies use the boxes as a means of excluding competition from the broadcasting market. The two operate a digital TV joint venture called Premiere. The Commission has agreed to allow the 100,000 consumers who have already bought the service and boxes (and the 30,000 who have applied for subscriptions) to continue receiving Premiere broadcasts. The Commission should decide on 15 January whether to clear the joint venture or to extend its investigation for another four months.