Over 500 channels available on DTT platforms in Europe
Recent data from the MAVISE TV database, developed for the DG Communication of the European Commission by the European Audiovisual Observatory, shows the continued expansion of television channels in the European (EU 27 + Croatia and Turkey) television market. More than 200 new TV channels were launched in 2008. There are now a total of 5587 channels (plus 412 non-European channels) available in the 29 countries.
Digital terrestrial television (DTT) has experienced significant developments in the last year.
Six of the 29 countries included in the MAVISE database have already ceased analogue terrestrial transmission.
France, Italy, Spain and the UK (four markets with large use of terrestrial television) have reached very high levels of DTT penetration in households and two of these have started regional switch-off of the analogue signals
The market will see more rapid development this year with the expected launch of new services in Slovenia, Denmark, Portugal, Ireland, Poland, Greece, and Slovakia. Full article at: EAO press release
Item added: 7th April 2009



Teracom takes full control of Boxer
Network operator Teracom recently announced that it had purchased the remaining 30% stake in pay-DTT service operator Boxer, previously held by private equity firm 3i.
Teracom already hold 70% of Boxer shares and this latest acquisition enables them to take full control.
3i previously purchased its 30% stake in Boxer during 2005 from the investment firm Skandia.
Boxer reports that it currently has 700,000 subscribers compared with 380,000 subscribers in 2004 and pre-tax profit grew from SEK8 million (€780K) in 2004 to SEK376 million (€37 million) in 2007.
Boxer has been awarded licences to operate DTT services in Ireland and Denmark.
Sources: Teracom press release and Digitag
Item added: 24th November 2008


Update on Sweden
Allocation of the digital dividend has been completed in Sweden.
Six multiplexes will be available in the UHF bands IV and V and one in the VHF band.
The frequencies above 790MHz in Band V are expected to be auctioned and allocated for other services.
The frequency allocations are valid until 2014.
This information comes from a more comprehensive country update from Digitag. The full item can be found by clicking on the source link at the end of this item.
Source: Digitag Webletter July 2008
Item added: 28th July 2008
 

EC withdraws case
The European Commission has withdrawn its case against Sweden at the European Court of Justice in response to Sweden’s amendment of the broadcast regulations.
Previously, Sweden only allowed a single operator to handle all encryption services on the DTT platform. Now under the amended regulation, new operators will be able to offer encrypted DTT services making it possible for them to launch pay-DTT services.
Source: EC press release
Item added: 10th June 2008



New DTT service on Boxer
Swedish sports channel TV4 Sport has launched on the country’s Boxer DTT platform. The new channel is included in Multiplex 5, which has a 70% coverage. The channel is free until September 30th but it is unclear what will happen after that. The channel was one of a number which were awarded licences by national regulator RTVV (Radio och TV-Verket) on April 1st.
Main source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 20th May 2008




MTG wins two additional DTT licences
Sweden’s Radio & TV Authority (Radio-och TV Verket) has awarded Viasat Broadcasting two new terrestrial broadcasting licences, in addition to the four it already holds, according to a report from Rapid TV News.
Viasat is a wholly owned subsidiary of Modern Times Group.
MTG said: “The new licenses enable Viasat to make its premium pay-TV channels available in the Swedish DTT network for the first time. Viasat Sport 1 and TV1000 will be broadcast in MPEG4 format on a new multiplex to be built during 2008.”
Source: Rapid TV News
Item added: 1st April 2008

 

Boxer switching to MPEG-4 receivers
Broadband TV News reports that Swedish DTT operator Boxer is to begin the deployment of MPEG-4 receivers to new subscribers. Over the next six years Sweden will gradually migrate from MPEG-2 visual coding to using MPEG-4, H.264.
The Swedish Radio and TV Authority (RTVV) recently announced eight new national channels that will broadcast in the MPEG-4 format.
From April 1 Boxer, which is also responsible for approving devices to use on the network, will no longer accept MPEG-2 receivers for test and approval.
Set Top Boxes must be backward compatible so that they can decode both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 coded transmissions.
Main source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 1st April 2008
 

Boxer DTT figures up
By 31st December 2007 Boxer had 709,000 digital pay TV subscribers, representing an increase of 55,000 in 2007 – equivalent to growth of nearly nine per cent.
During the fourth quarter of 2007 the number of customers increased by 16,000.
Source: Boxer
Item added: 22nd January 2008



TV spectrum allocated to Telcos’
The Swedish government has allocated two of the seven original DTT multiplexes to telecommunications companies according to a report in Broadband TV News.
The spectrum at the top of Band V, 790-862 MHz, is to be released for use by mobile telephony and wireless broadband services and is said to amount to 18% of the available digital capacity.
This leaves five multiplexes for DTT although a spokesman from the Swedish Ministry of Culture is reported as saying that new capacity has been found for a sixth DTT multiplex.
The new multiplex is still to be allocated but it is expected that it will be awarded to the user who can demonstrate the “best” use of the spectrum.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 27th December 2007



Digital Dividend may not go to Broadcasters
Broadband TV reports that problems are arising over the sustainability of previous assurances on the allocation of the digital dividend to broadcasters in Sweden.
Previously the Swedish government indicated to broadcasters that the released spectrum available from digital switchover would go to broadcast television services. Now Telcos are highlighting the expected summer surge in demand for 3G mobile broadband and suggesting that the released digital spectrum could be better used to extend mobile broadband in rural areas than for television services.
Broadcasters are currently lobbying the communications minister Åsa Torstensson to stick to the original plan. He said at a recent conference that the crunch question was how much capacity should go to TV and how much should be set aside for mobile broadband. He felt that providing both would be possible.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 14th November 2007


Sweden completes analogue switch-off
Sweden has completed the switch-off of its analogue terrestrial television platform ahead of the planned date of February 2008.
The last cities to switch-off analogue services included Malmö, Helsingborg, Hörby, Karlshamn and Karlskrona, in the Skåne  region of Sweden, along the southern tip of the country.
The task was completed when the transmissions from SVT’s two public channels and the commercial broadcaster TV4 were finally switched off at 16.00 on the 15th October 2007.
This completes a switch off programme, which began with Gotland in September 2005.
Sweden is the fourth European country to complete analogue switch-off, after Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Finland.
Source: Teracom
Item added: 16th October 2007

Boxer subscribers increase
By the end of September 2007, Pay TV service provider, Boxer had 693,000 digital-TV subscribers, representing an increase of 39,000 during 2007 and an increase of 15,000 during the third quarter. Since last September the number of customers has increased by 77,000 a growth of 12.5%.
"The pace of growth in new subscriptions is slowly decreasing as Swedish households go digital. To improve the digital offering we're working harder on new services such as the Boxer Twin Card and an expanded electronic programme guide, Boxer Navigator," says Per Norman, Boxer's CEO.
Sweden plans to complete its analogue switch-off programme in November 2007.
Source: Boxer press release
Item added: 9th October 2007
 

Swedish government backs down on DTT break-up
The government has decided to allow programme companies to organise their own Pay-TV packages on the DTT system.
Last June, the government proposed new regulations for the DTT platform following concerns raised by the European Commission that Boxer was the sole provider of pay-DTT services in Sweden. This could have meant the end of Boxer’s hold on Pay-TV subscriptions on the Pay TV platform
According to Per Norman, CEO of Boxer: "The digital terrestrial network must contribute to the broadest possible freedom of speech and information. From this it follows that the task of regulation must go to the programme companies."
Boxer added a further 15,000 subscribers in the third quarter bringing its total subscriber base to 693,000
Story: Digitag   
Main source: Boxer press release
Item added: 9th October 2007


DTT restructuring in Sweden
The Swedish government is referring the structure of Sweden’s digital terrestrial network to the council on legislation according to an article on the broadbandtvnews website.
The report says that the DTT platform is likely to be opened up to other providers who want to offer pay services following concerns raised by the European commission.
Boxer has been the sole provider of pay DTT services on the platform for the last eight years and currently has around 700,000 subscribers.
The probable outcome is that Boxer will maintain its hold on the marketing of the DTT packages to the public but other providers will also be able to sell their channels direct to the public.
Source: broadbandtvnews
Item added: 21st June 2007


Tele2 selects Anevia to convert DVB-T to IP
Anevia, French designers of the Flamingo DVB-IP Gateways and Digital Access, the Swedish-based broadband equipment provider have been selected by Swedish operator Tele2 to provide DVB-T content over IP. Each of the 20 Flamingos will ingest national DVB-T channels and two regional channels into Tele2’s IP network. The equipments will be set up in 20 Swedish cities to provide access to DVB-T platform content on local IP networks
Source: TotalTelecom
Item added: 12th June 2007


Sweden begins HDTV services on DTT
Viewers in the Mälardalen area of Sweden were the first to be able to view HDTV on the DTT platform when the first service began transmitting on Saturday 26th May. Services will soon be extended to cover Stockholm, Västerås, Uppsala and Södertälje bringing the total potential TV viewer households to 1 million, 27% of the Swedish total. Teracom who provide the transmission facilities would like to extend HDTV to the whole of Sweden when DTT capacity becomes available.
The transmissions are broadcast unscrambled in 720p format coded in MPEG-4 with material supplied by SVT (Sveriges Television)
SVT started its HD broadcasts with ‘Expedition Linne’ and will follow up with HD programmes, including the nature series Planet Earth, which will be continuing until the summer. Other current Swedish HD programmes on SVT are the community-singing event Allsång på Skansen, starting in June, and the World Athletics Championship from Osaka in August.
Main source: Teracom press release
Item added: 31st May 2007

Boxer increases subscriber base
Boxer reports 18,000 new households in the first quarter of 2007. This brings the total DTT subscriber base to 672,000 households an increase of 18% since the 31st March 2006.
A spokesman announcing the figures pointed out that many households have already switched to DTT and this is likely to lead to a slow down in the number of new subscribers in the future.
Source: Boxer press release
Item added: 19th April 2007


Positive Stockholm DVB-H trial results
The recent DVB-H trial in Stockholm had a positive reception from its 400 participants. 87% said that the service left a positive impression, with over 80% saying that they were willing to pay between 10 (€1.1) and 50 (€5.35) Swedish kronor a month to view.
Lack of available spectrum was raised as a potential problem for the DVB-H service now that HDTV services are also expected to be available on the terrestrial platform.
Source: Dow Jones Newswire
Item added: 2nd April 2007


Stockholm goes digital
Stockholm became the latest city to go digital on March 12th when the analogue TV transmitter at Nacka was switched of.
Later that day a signal resumed on the old channel but this time it was digital, carrying SVT2 and TV4.
SVT1 will continue to be broadcast in analogue for a further two weeks before being changed over to a digital signal.
The analogue switch off process in Sweden is planned for completion by February 1st, 2008.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 21st March 2007
 

Digital switchover in Sweden
Sweden is nearly half way through its main transmitter switch off programme. Already, 23 out of a total of 54 transmitters have stopped their analogue television broadcasts and complete analogue switch off is expected by November 2007. Network operator Teracom has already conducted trials for high-definition television (HDTV) and mobile television using the DVB-H standard; two services which may be made available to viewers in the next two years when spectrum is released by the analogue switch off.
Digital switchover status
5 multiplexes on air offering viewers 10 free-to-air and 27 pay-DTT services in addition to regional programming.
DTT coverage now 98% of the population with coverage increasing to 99.8% by early 2008 (for public service broadcasts).
 

Analogue switch-off has been taking place on a region-by-region basis since September 2005.
Stage 1: September - December 2005: Gotland, Gävle and Motala/Linköping
Stage 2: February - May 2006: Kisa, Norrköping, Uppsala, Västerås, Östhammar, Bolinäs, Borlänge, Hudiksvall, Mora
Stage 3: November 2006: Boräs, Emmaboda, Finnveden, Halmstad, Jönköping, Nässjö, Skövde, Varberg, Vislanda, Västervik
Stage 4: March - May 2007: Stockholm, Sollefteå, Sundsvall, Sveg, Tåsjö, Ånge, Örnsköldsvik, Östersund, Arvidsjaur, Gällivare, Kalix, Kiruna, Pajala, Älvsbyn, Överkalix Stage 5: September - October 2007: Filipstad, Karlstad, Lycksele, Skellefteå, Storuman, Sunne, Vännäs, Bäckefors, Göteborg, Trollhättan, Uddevalla, Helsingborg, Hörby, Karlshamn, Karlskrona, Malmö
The first three stages of the process have been completed. Switch-off in the three largest Swedish cities, Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö, is expected later this year.
Source: DigiTAG Webletter
Item added: 16th January 2007

Boxer tests Neotion's MPEG-4 Module
Boxer has begun testing a new HD-module, designed to allow existing Digital TV receivers to receive and decode terrestrial HDTV broadcasts. The module is made by Neotion, a French developer of digital television equipment. With the module, inserted in the Common Interface slot, viewers can access MPEG-4 AVC content.
The module is expected to be made commercially available during the second quarter of 2007.
Source: Neotion press release
Item added: 16th January 2007

More than 650,000 DTT subscribers for Boxer
The Pay DTT service provider Boxer, has announced that it had 654,000 subscribers by the end of 2006. The latest figures show an increase of 23% or 123,000 subscribers during the year.
Previous estimates suggested that the DTT market in Sweden now stands at more than 1 million households, of which 300,000 rely on the free-to-air platform.
Analogue switch off is set to take place in Stockholm on 12 March, followed by Norrland, Värmland and the west coast. The process is expected to be completed by November 2007.
Source: Boxer
Item added: 9th January 2007

DVB-H trial update
Fifty families are participating in the DVB-H trial currently taking place in Stockholms, Hammarby Sjostad “Green Zone”.
”Swedes watch on average two and a half hours of TV per day. We are convinced that Mobile TV will also be a natural ingredient in media consumption in the near future. It is estimated that one out of ten mobile phones will have this technology in three to four years,” Indra Asander, head of Consumer Segment at TeliaSonera Severige is quoted as saying.
The current service, which will conclude in November, offers 14 channels including, SVT1, SVT2, TV4, Kanal 5, Canal+Sport, Discovery, Disney channel and Aftonbladet TV.
Source: Eurocomms
Item added: 17th October 2006

DTT sales up in Sweden
According to Boxer CEO Crister Fritzson, an additional 22000 subscribers joined its DTT service in the third quarter of 2006. At the end of September subscriber numbers totalled 616,000
Sweden is continuing its analogue switch off process with the areas of Oland and Boras in November.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 10th October 2006

DVB-H at European Athletics Championship
During the European Athletics Championships in Sweden, 40 multimedia mobile phones will be used in the DVB-H trial. Residents of Gothenburg and visitors to the city can also test the technology themselves in Bältesspännarparken at Avenyn. Five television channels will be initially shown during the test broadcasts - SVT1, SVT2, TV4, Kanal 5 and Eurosport - and all will feature digital broadcasts of track and field events from the European Athletics Championships.
"This is a good opportunity for us to start the DVB-H tests on mobiles during a period when people in Sweden will be most interested in live broadcasts from the Championships", says Anders Bruse, Head of Products and Services at TeliaSonera Sweden."Television broadcasts on mobile phones are an important initiative to expand our range of services through our Telia SurfPort mobile portal."
During September, a pilot test will be launched in the Hammarby Sjöstad suburb of Stockholm, where 50 families will be able to watch television on DVB-H enabled multimedia mobile phones. Approximately ten channels will be launched with programming to suit the entire family.
Telia will evaluate the DVB-H technology after the Hammarby Sjöstad pilot trials in Stockholm. A close dialogue will be maintained with the test families to map the needs and requests of family members.
The tests are being conducted in co-operation with Nokia, which is supplying the DVB-H system and its N92 multimedia mobile phone.
Source: Telia press release 
Item added: 13th August 2006

 

New DVB-H trial in Sweden
Communication service provider TeliaSonera will broadcast television programmes to mobile phones on the DTT network throughout this summer using DVB-H technology. The tests will be conducted in the cities of Gothenburg and Stockholm staring at the beginning of August. The test system will be hosted and managed by Nokia and use N92 (DVB-H capable) Nokia multi-media mobile phones.
Telia has been granted a three-month test licence to broadcast DVB-H signals during the trial.
Sources: Nokia and Telia
Item added: 20th June 2006

Boxer increases subscriber base
Sweden's pay DTT platform Boxer has reported an increased subscriber base in the first quarter of 2006. At March 31st it had 569,000 subscribers, an increase of 38,000 for the quarter. Boxer says that the repackaging of its content in 2004 and the ramp up to digital switchover is resulting in an average increase of 35,000 subscribers per quarter.

Northern Smaland, Gästrikland and Gotland are now completely digital. Further areas set to end analogue television include Dalarna and Hälsingland in May.
Source: Boxer and Broadband TV News (April 1st)
Item added: 18th April 2006

Sixth Multiplex to be launched
RTVV, the Swedish broadcasting authority has allocated 7 service licences to be available on the 6th multiplex. The multiplex will include both free-toair and pay DTT services. Boxer announced that the services will be available on the 31st May.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 6th March 2006

DTT subscribers grow by 42%
Boxer, the DTV service provider in Sweden, has announced that it increased its subscriber base by 42%, with 156,000 new users added, up to December 31st. This brings the total number of DTT subscribers to 531,000.
Analogue switch-off started in September 2005 and is planned to be completed by autumn 2007.
Source: Boxer press release translated by Digitag
Item added: 17th January 2006

 

HDTV on Terrestrial Network and DVB-H demo soon
As a world first, Teracom made a public demonstration of HDTV on the DTT platform using the MPEG-4 AVC video compression standard. Other partners in the demonstration included the manufacturers Sagem and Thomson.

According to Bengt Broman, Managing Director of Teracom "Now that we have shown that the service works, we can start offering Swedish households HDTV transmissions via the normal digital TV network. We believe that the programme companies are interested in transmitting special events via HDTV, e.g. the football World Cup. We have now shown that this does not present any technical problems."

According to the Managing Director of the pay DTT operator Boxer TV Access, Crister Fritzson, "We see the possibility of introducing HDTV on special channels for special events and films for households ready to invest in advanced equipment and special subscriptions, but at the same time we will be continuing to develop our usual offering."
Teracom also showcased DVB-H for the first time in Sweden. A number of television programmes were transmitted via the DTT network to a Nokia multimedia terminal.
At the beginning of next year, Teracom will begin a full-scale DVB-H pilot project in Sweden.
Source: Digitag
Item added: 17th November 2005


DTT viewers increase
Boxer has added 33,000 subscribers in the third quarter of 2005. At the end of September the total number of DTT subscribers was 483,000.
Source: Boxer
Item added: 8th November 2005

First Analogue TV Transmitters Turned Off
Sweden began its transition to digital television Monday as the first analogue transmitters have been turned off, on the island of Gotland.

Of the digital viewers, 35% use the DTT services provided by Boxer. With analogue switch-off set to commence in September, 85% of those interviewed were aware of digital switch-over
Immediate Source: Digitag 
Original Source: Boxer
Item added: 20th August 2005

Analogue switch off plans finalised
The dates for analogue switch-off in three Swedish regions have been confirmed. On 19 September, the region of Gotland with shut down its analogue transmissions for SVT1, SVT2 and TV4. The region of Gävle will shut off its analogue transmission of SVT2 and TV4 on 10 October while the analogue transmission of SVT1 will end on 24 October. Finally, the region of Motala/Linköping will end its analogue transmission of SVT1 and SVT2 on 21 November and the analogue transmission of TV4 will be shut off on 5 December.

These analogue switch-off plans are in accordance with the national analogue switch-off set to take place on 1st February 2008**(this date has been corrected in line with the Swedish governments published date, click here for more) . Starting on 8 April, an information campaign will begin. Households will receive a 12 page brochure on DTT.
Source: NyTeknik and Digitag
Note item updated: 8th August 2005

 

MHP-based Community project
In Gävle, which is one of the three areas scheduled for analogue switch off this fall an interesting development is taking place. This is an MHP-based community information service for the DVB-T network. The trial project will start later this year and will have around 500 users. DVB-RCT will also be tested later and involve local government and other local interests. If successful it will probably be copied by other regions in Sweden.
Source: Swedish Radio and TV Authority

2004 figures from Boxer
Boxer, the Swedish DTT provider, ended the year 2004 with a total of 375,000 subscribers. With 175,000 new subscribers in 2004, Boxer increased its total number of subscribers by 88%. 55,000 subscribers joined Boxer in the final quarter of 2004.

DTT growth is expected to continue in 2005 as Sweden begins to prepare for analogue switch-off. Three regions, Gävle, Motala/Linköping and Gotland, have been selected to begin analogue switch-off in the second half of 2005.

Source: Digitag 20/1/05 attributed to Boxer press release
 

The information provided comes from several sources and whilst DVB believe it to be correct we cannot guarantee its accuracy.

If you have more up to date information or corrections please send them to  dvb@dvb.org

Last page update: 7th April 2009, Barry Tew