Makedonska Radiodifuzija invests EUR 6 million in DTT
Macedonian public broadcasting company Makedonska Radiodifuzija has announced that contracts for digital and microwave links, as well as for the DVB-T digital network, have been allocated to several foreign and Macedonian companies. The total sum to be spent on the contracts amounts to nearly EUR 6 million, with half of the sum spent on equipment and services from Ericsson. The remainder will be divided up between Nera Networks, domestic company Fleks Power and Austrian, Slovenian and other Macedonian companies.
Source: Telecompaper
Item added: 5th December 2011 



Cartoon network added to DTT platform
Cartoon Network has been added to Boom TV, the Macedonian DTT platform.
It will be broadcast in English from 03.00 to 21.00, with Turner Classic Movies (TCM) running overnight from 21.00 to 03.00.
Turner Broadcasting’s channels Cartoon Network, CNN, TCM and Boomerang have been present in Macedonia since 1997.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 14th December 2009



 Viaccess in Macedonian DTT deal
Viacces has made a deal with pay-DTT operator Boom TV to provide it with a programme security service.
Boom TV is run by telecom operator On.net and plans to have over 200,000 subscribers by the end of next year. This figure is equivalent to 10% of the Macedonian population.
Source: Digital TV News
Item added: 16th November 2009



Cosmofon launches DTT service
Macedonian telecommunications operator Cosmofon has launched a digital terrestrial TV service, covering 95 percent of local households according to Telecom paper.
This is much earlier than recent reports suggested.
Services include local programmes, foreign programmes with Macedonian language support, an electronic programme guide, Vision On Demand and interactive services.
It is also intended that HD programming will be included.
Cosmofon was recently acquired by Telekom Slovenije, which merged the mobile operator with its local ISP On.net.
Main source: Telecompaper
Item added: 14th September 2009



On.Net buys 60 channel DTT system
On.Net, a subsidiary of Telekom Slovenije plans to transmit up to 60 channels, two of which will be HD, on Macedonia’s new DTT platform.
MPEG-4, H.264.AVC will be used to maximize the efficient use of spectrum and enable HDTV broadcasting using equipment supplied by Tandberg Television.
The DTT Pay-TV system will also use Viaccess conditional access to secure it.
On.Net plan to launch the platform in 2010 and to have a 10% market share by the end of the first year.
On.Net began DTT trials in the capital Skopje in 2007.
Up to Four DVB-T multiplexes are planned.
Sources: Tandberg Television press release and Viaccess website
Item added: 7th September 2009




Telekom Slovenije wins Macedonia DTT tender
Telekom Slovenije has won the tender for the management of the DVB-T multiplex in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). The Slovenian company has just one year to provide full coverage of Macedonia's territory as a licence condition and offer 30 digital TV channels. The contract is estimated to be worth EUR 10 million, plus EUR 20 million required for the digital set-top boxes, which Telekom Slovenije will distribute free of charge.
Telekom Slovenije was the only bidder for the 10-year licence.
Main source: Telecompaper
Item added: 8th May 2009




Three DVB-T multiplexes for Macedonia
At the recent opening of bids for a licence to operate DVB-T services in Macedonia, Telecom Slovenije was the only bidder.
According to the official announcement the bid contained all the necessary documentation and it looks likely that the licence to operate three DVB-T multiplexes in the Republic of Macedonia will be awarded to Telecom Slovenije.
If the bid is accepted and the fee paid The Agency for Electronic Communication will grant a licence on the 30th March 2009.
Source: Agency for Electronic Communications
Item added: 16th March 2009Telecom




Slovenia bids for DTT licence
Telekom Slovenije was the only company to submit a bid for a licence to transmit digital TV services in Macedonia, reports Telecompaper.
The tender was called by the Macedonian Agency for Electronic Communications (AEK)
If the commission approves the deal, Telekom Slovenije will have to pay a one-time fee amounting to EUR 300,000 along with the offered price, which will be revealed after the final decision.
Source: Telecompaper
Item added: 16th February 2009 (modified 16th March 2009)




DigiTAG Country update
The August 2008 Web Letter from The Digital Terrestrial Action Group (DigiTAG), gives a comprehensive overview of the Digital Terrestrial Television situation in Macedonia.
The item can be accessed by clicking on following source link.
Source: DigiTAG  August08 Web Letter
Item added: 1st September 2008
 

DTT trial successful
On.net reports that its DTT trial, covering the capital Skopje, is proving to be very successful.
The trial, currently using MPEG-2, provides potential coverage to 160,000 households. Shortly MPEG-4 AVC coding will be tested to increase the spectrum efficiency.
On.net, 87% owned by Telekom Slovenije since March 2006 plans to offer 50 TV programmes, 50 radio programmes and datacast including a 7-day EPG on four DVB-T multiplexes to all territories of Macedonia.
On.net has a temporary DVB-T trial licence issued by AEC (Agency for Electronic Communication) but owing to the success of the present trial it has entered into collaboration with Policy makers, Regulatory bodies and the Content industry to start a pilot project to enable the possibility of developing clear and appropriate national strategies for analogue switch off (ASO) in the Republic of Macedonia.
The pilot project could be the catalyst that would enable the ASO/DTT implementation date to be brought forward to 2008, 7 years earlier than the current 2015 plan.
Source: Predrag Cemerikic, CEO On.net Macedonia.
Item added: 21st June 2007
 

Background
 

According to information supplied by the Broadcasting Council for the Republic of Macedonia (SRD), the country began its first experimental DTT transmissions on 14 December. Employing a 100W transmitter owned by Public Enterprise "Macedonian Broadcasting" and supplied by IMP (Slovenia), along with coders and multiplex from Tandberg, they are distributing public broadcaster MRTS’s three channels and a satellite service to Skopje and surrounding area.

The possibility of transmitting in two or more languages on one video signal is seen as a distinct advantage in the country, where aside from Macedonian 25% of the population speak Albanian. Although the public is being given the to opportunity watch the DTT transmissions in retail outlets in Skopje, there is still no strategy for DTT and therefore unclear when a commercial service will be launched.
Sources: www.digitag.org  and Broadband TV News
 

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If you have any additional information or corrections please send an e-mail to dvb@dvb.org.

Last page update: 5th December 2011 Barry Tew