5 million Euros for DTT promotion
The Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce has signed an agreement with Impulsa TDT to collaborate on promoting the spread of DTT in Spain. 5 million Euros will be contributed in equal parts by both organisations.
The money will be used for promotion, communication and the marketing of DTT. In addition some of the money will be used for market surveys and to help with technical areas concerning products and services.
According to recent figures more than 18 million citizens are already able to receive DTT signals.
Source: CincoDias.com
Item added: 6th January 2009



Espresso Group plans 12 new channels
Italy’s Espresso Group plans to launch 12 thematic channels on the Italian DTT platform.
The group already operates one DTT multiplex, which provides coverage to 50% of the country and carries the All Music, Repubblica TV, France 2 TV and several radio stations. To increase the range of channels available the Espresso Group now plans to transform the national analogue frequency used by All Music into a DTT multiplex carrying another 5-6 TV channels.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 29th December 2008





RAI launches DVB-T2 HDTV trial
Italian public broadcaster RAI has initiated the first Super High Definition transmissions using the new DVB-T2 standard for DTT from its Eremo Broadcasting Centre in Turin.
DVB-T2 offers between 30-50% increased capacity gain compared with the DVB-T standard.
The Super High Definition 4k channel will occupy most of the bit capacity of the DVB-T2, 8MHz channel and is expected to become available on the market in about ten years time.
Last September, RAI, together with Japan’s NHK and the UK’s BBC, won the "IBC Special Award" for the Super High Vision (SHV) project.
Source: Advanced Television.com
Item added: 22nd December 2008



Italian digital dividend to be auctioned
Italian Communications Undersecretary, Paolo Romani, has announced that the frequencies vacated during the analogue switch off will be auctioned off, reports Broadband TV News.
The statement came during an interview with Italian daily Corriere delle Comunicazioni, Romani in which he said that an auction will be organised both for the frequencies vacated in Sardinia as well as for those that will emerge as DTT is rolled out across the country.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 16th December 2008



More than 10 million DTT boxes sold in Italy
The number of DTT STB’s sold since 2004 reached 10 million in September 2008 according to data published by DGTVI.
Italian households with at least one DTT receiver in the main habitation reached 6.9 million.
Source: Advanced-television.com
Item added: 1st December 2008



Mediaset increases Pay-DTT growth
Mediaset Premium, the Pay-DTT service from Mediaset, reports an 89% increase in revenue this year compared with the same period in 2007.
Mediaset says that 2.5 million Pay-per-view DTT cards were active as of the 30th September 2008 compared with 1.6 million in the first nine months of 2007.
Source: Mediaset
Item added: 17th November 2008



ASO completed in Sardinia
On the morning of the 31st October 2008, Sardinia finally completed the process to switch from analogue to digital transmission.
The switch-off affected 1,600,000 residents on the island of which 85% were reliant on terrestrial TV transmissions for their primary TV viewing.
Source: Il Sole 24 Ore
Item added: 3rd November 2008



Europa 7 to get RAI Uno allocation
More than 11 years after it went out of business following a legal dispute with Mediaset’s RETE4, Europa 7 is set to be given a new frequency allocation to begin DTT broadcasting.
The latest ruling is that the frequency allocation to be used by Europa 7 is from RAI Uno and not RETE 4.
Despite the final allocation of a frequency it is unclear whether Europa 7 shareholders will go ahead and resurrect the company.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Item added: 20th October 2008



ASO in Sardinia and Aoste
Now that the approved timetable for Analogue Switch Off (ASO) has been released, Sardinia is expected to complete ASO by the end of November followed by the Aoste Valley, before the end of the year.
In Sardinia, where 90% of homes have digital receivers, all broadcasters are expected to cease analogue transmissions and switch to DTT during the period from the 15th to the 31st of October.
The switch continues next year in the regions of Lazio (Rome), Campania, Trentino Alto Adige and Piedmonte.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 13th October 2008


DTT only households reach 6.3 million
Recent figures released by DGTVi estimate that 6.3 million TV households rely on DTT signals for their television viewing in Italy. This equates to a DTT penetration of 29%.
Source: DGTVi website
Item added: 30th September 2008



DSO plan approved
The Italian Government has approved an analogue switch over plan which will take place on a phased regional basis in 16 regions between 2009 and 2012. Four regions one including Rome will make the change in 2009 and the process will continue until 2012 when the regions of Sicily and Calabria complete the switch over.
By 2010 it is estimated that 70% of the population will have completed the transition to DTT services.
Source: Ministry of Communications
Item added: 30th September 2008




Italian DTT penetration Increases
Recent figures from GfK Marketing Services Italy show that DTT penetration has continued to grow.
During the period from February 2004 and July 2008 a total of 9,231,166 DTT receivers were  sold.
DTT STB’s accounted for 69.3% of the total and TV’s with integrated decoders and other DTT receiving devices made up the remaining 30.7%
Source: GfK Marketing Services Italia
Item added: 17th September 2008




New DTT broadcasters announced
The Communications Authority (AgCom) has published the list of broadcasters expected to receive a licence for DTT services. The regulator received a total of 25 bids for nine DTT licences.
The licence holders are expected to be Jetix with a kid’s service, NBC Universal with a documentary channel, Alphabet consortium with an educational channel, Rete Blu with a social service, Class Editori with a news service, Cartoon Network and Turner Entertainment with Boomerang. Further licences will be allocated to either the Disney Company or AirPlus TV for a pay-DTT service.
Capacity for these services will be provided from 5 of the 6 existing DTT multiplexes. Each multiplex will make approximately 9.5 Mbits/s of capacity available.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 11th August 2008



More than half of Italians to be digital in two years
Presenting the yearly report of the Italian Communication Authority Agcom, the authorities President, Corrado Calabro said that half the Italian population could be ‘digital only’ in two years. He went on to say that the winners of the tender for the 40% of the countries DTT multiplex capacity, released by RAI, Mediaset and Telecom Italia Media would soon be made public. In all there had been 25 bids presented by 18 companies many of them foreign.
Figures in the Agcom report show that more than half the Italian population (54.3%) are already equipped to receive digital programmes either from satellite or terrestrial transmitters.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 21st July 2008



DTT receiver sales reach 8.6 million
In May 310,000 DTT decoders were sold bring the total installed base to 8.6 million according to market researchers GfK.
Another survey from Makno’s “Monitor TV Digitale” gives slightly different figures estimating that there were 5,912,000 Italian DTT households at the end of May. The survey defines a DTT household as ‘those having at least one digital terrestrial receiver in the principal home’. The figure is an increase of 130,000 units since the April figures.
Italy’s DTT offer is currently made up of 28 national free-to-air channels as well as movies, series, sports and kids programs available on PPV
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 21st July 2008



Italian DTT tender gets 25 bids
A total of 25 bids, by 17 companies, have been made for the 12 channels offered by the Italian telecommunications regulator (AgCom), following the release of 40% of  DTT capacity on the country’s 5 multiplexes, to external tender.
The new channels will operate on one multiplex belonging to state broadcaster RAI and on two others operated by commercial broadcasters Mediaset and Telecom Italia Broadcasting. The bids are now being evaluated and the winners will be announced on the 23rd August.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 1st July 2008



September release for ASO timetable
Italy’s Ministry for Economic Development, will present the timetable for the definite switchover to digital terrestrial by 9th September 2008, reports advanced-television.com.
As well as detailing the switch over in 15-20 areas the ministry will also announce the bodies that will be responsible for the managing the transition.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 26th June 2008




Free DVB-H services available from 3 Italia
Service provider 3-Italia is offering six television services free of charge to customers already using the DVB-H platform. The services include RA1, RAI 2, Mediaset, Sky Meteo-24, Current TV and La3. Pay-TV services including a Sky package are also available. 3-Italia has 850,000 customers with DVB-H receivers.
Source: advanced-television.com 
Item added: 10th June 2008




Italian parliament votes against preserving analogue frequency
The new Italian government has had its decree to allow TV channel Rete 4 to keep its analogue TV channel blocked. This means that Rete 4 will have to distribute its channel via satellite releasing its current terrestrial frequency to Centro Europa 7.
The unsuccessful decree was seen by some observers as an attempt to bypass a European Court of Justice sentence that recognised the right of Italian broadcaster Centro Europa 7 to the frequency.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 2nd June 2008


8 million DTT receivers sold
Latest figures from GfK show that 8,069,889 DTT receivers were sold in Italy by the end of March 2008, reports advanced-television.com. Set Top Boxes made up 76% of the total and 24% were iDTV’s.
Broadcasters are also said to be looking in to the possibility of launching a free-to-air satellite service which would offer viewer’s access to all the same services currently available on the DTT platform.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 27th May 2008


Government stalls partial ASO in 2009
The new Italian government has put forward a proposal to allow the commercial broadcaster Mediaset to keep its analogue frequencies until analogue switch-off is completed in 2012.
Plans by the former Communications Minister, Paolo Gentiloni required broadcasters to hand back one of their analogue frequencies in 2009.
For Mediaset, this would have meant stopping broadcasting Rete 4 in analogue on the terrestrial platform.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 27th May 2008

Tiscali Digital TV expands coverage
Italian IPTV provider Tiscali Digital TV says that it will expand its service to six more cities according to Broadband TV News.
Bologna, Florence, Genoa, Naples, Palermo and Turin are the new cities and they are to be served with a hybrid DTT and IPTV offer, adding a potential four million homes.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 20th May 2008




Italy launches DTT tender
Italy’s Communications Authority, AgCom, has given the go-ahead for the launch of a tender to award additional capacity on the country’s existing DTT multiplexes.
The tender was officially launched following the approval of the financial conditions for 40 per cent of the transmission capacity of the digital multiplexes owned by national broadcasters RAI, RTI (Mediaset) and Telecom Italia Media to be released. Interested companies will have 60 days, from the date of the publication of the tender rules on the AgCom site and in the Official Gazette, to present their bids. The tender process should be concluded during this summer.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 28th April 2008

Sardinia to complete Analogue Switch Off in Sept/Oct
Following the issue of a new frequency plan for Italy the complete switch off of the analogue transmission network in Sardinia and the complete change to DTT has been delayed until the months of September and October 2008.
The three national broadcasters RAI, Mediaset and La7 have already switched off one of their two analogue channels in Sardinia.
The government has allocated €54.8 million to support digital switchover.
Piedmont will become the next region to undertake analogue switch-off.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 10th March 2008

Frequency allocations breach EU law
The European Court of Justice has ruled that the Italian way of assigning broadcasting frequencies is against the law because it has favoured some broadcasters more than others.
Viviane Reding, the EU’s telecommunications commissioner urged the Italian authorities to implement the judgement “swiftly, and to bring flexibility and fair competition to the Italian system of frequency allocation” The decision shows that EU nations “ must not use the allocation of radio frequencies to freeze the structures on the national market to protect the position of the operators already active on the market”, Reding said in an e-mailed statement reported by Bloomberg.com
Source: Bloomberg.com
Item added: 5th February 2008

DTT receiver sales near 6.7 million
The number of DTT receivers sold between February 2004 and November 2007 reached 6,697,516 according to research from GfK Marketing Services commissioned by DGTVi, reports advanced-television.com.
Decoders made up 82.3% (5,510,580) of the total with TV’s with integrated tuners making up the remaining 17.7% (1,186,936).
Decoders with no interactive capability amounted to 4.8% (265,433). Decoders acquired without government subsidy accounted for 57.8% (3,184,370) of the total.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 5th February 2008

Analogue switch-off in Sardinia agreed
Italy’s communications authority has announced that broadcasters in Sardinia have reached an agreement on how to switch over to DTT.
Three analogue channels have already been switched of and with the implementation of the agreement Sardinia will be the first region in Italy to switchover completely to DTT.
Complete analogue switch off in Italy is expected by 2012.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 22nd January 2008




DVB-SH trial in Italy
Italian public broadcaster RAI, in conjunction with Alcatel-Lucent and mobile operator 3 Italia are starting the first trial of mobile TV based on the DVB-SH standard in Italy.
The trial will take place in Turin and will be supervised by RAI Technological Strategies Dept. and the RAI Research and Technology Innovation Centre.
Cellular sites will provide indoor coverage of Turin's centre, while broadcast towers provided by RAI will provide outdoor and vehicular coverage of the entire city. Alcatel-Lucent's DVB-SH low-power repeaters will be co-localised with live UMTS sites of 3 Italia and connected to the live UMTS antennas.
The first phase of the trial is planned to take place between December 2007 and March 2008 and will validate the capability of DVB-SH to make available a large number of mobile TV channels, in various usage environments and conditions. The second phase will evaluate the potential broadcast signals from a satellite, which will be emulated by a transmitter in a high-altitude helicopter. The trial is expected to prove the improved reception quality made possible by the DVB-SH standard, which combines both satellite, and ground based repeaters to provide a seamless service.
Source: Telecompaper
Item added: 17th December 2007



Universal Conditional Access Module for DTT, Pay-TV
Hardware manufacturers and Italian broadcasters have reached agreement on a Conditional Access Module (CAM), which provides support for multiple suppliers.
The card called SmarCAM Italia is plugged directly into the digital TV using the industry standard DVB-CI interface. The card can support up to two smart cards simultaneous and makes it no longer necessary for cards to be exchanged to watch content from different Pay-TV providers on the DTT platform.
The card is the result of two years work between SmarDTV, part of the Kudelski group, TV manufacturers and Italian broadcasters Mediaset, Telecom Italia Media, Pangea and the DGTVi committee, which represents all TV broadcasters in Italy.
As well as hardware, implementation guidelines, an interoperability partner programme and a broadcaster certification process have been agreed.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 11th December 2007



DTT usage predicted to be 50% by 2010
Web news site advanced-television.com reports that figures from Italian consultancy e-Media Institute for the end of September indicate that 17% of Italian TV households receive DTT.
The figures are slightly smaller than expected, however it is still predicted that DTT penetration will reach 50% by 2010.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 11th December 2007



Mediaset to launch two new free-to-air DTT channels
Mediaset has announced the launch of two new free-to-air digital terrestrial channels on its DTT platform.
The first new channel, IRIS, will begin broadcasting on Friday the 30th November mainly focusing on cinema but also providing sit-coms, TV dramas, documentaries concerts of classical music and opera as well as theatre.
The second, BIS, launching in the first half of 2008, will focus on the history of commercial TV, providing the chance to watch many of the hit entertainment shows previously featured on Mediaset over its past twenty-five years of operation.
Source: Mediaset press release
Item added: 27th November 2007

RAI adds two new DTT services
Public service broadcaster RAI has announced plans to launch two new television program services on its DTT platform.
Rai already offers 6 television programs on two multiplexes. One multiplex contains Rai Uno, Rai Due and Rai Tre, and the regional information channel Rai Utile as well as two test channels. The second multiplex provides a home for Rai Sport Sat, RaiNews 24, Rai Edu 1 and Rai Gulp, as well as radio services.
The two new services will be targeted at younger viewers and at general audiences respectively. Services will start sometime in 2008.
Main source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 7th November 2007

AGCOM recommends frequencies for small broadcasters
Communications regulator AGCOM has recommended that broadcasters RAI and Mediaset be required to release their unused frequencies to make them available for small broadcasters.
The regulator claims that RAI and Mediaset control 40% of the existing analogue TV frequencies between them, making it difficult for new companies to enter the market.
While the recommendation is non-binding, the government could force some action if the companies do not comply with the request.
Main source: advanced television.com
Item added: 7th November 2007

DVB-T as well as DVB-H from 3 Italia
Telecom operator 3 Italia, which already operates a DVB-H network in Italy, now plans to offer DVB-T services on the same multiplex.
Rapid TV reports that 3 Italia CEO, Vincenzo Novari, recently announced that 3 Italia plan to broadcast four television programme services, two of which will be in High Definition.
3 Italia currently has a total of 770,000 DVB-H customers of which 40% access services at least once a week.
Source: Rapid TV News
Item added: 30th October 2007

Analogue switch off in Sardinia continues
From the 10th November channel RAI Due, from National broadcaster RAI, Rete 4, from Mediaset and Qoob, from Italia Media, will only be available in Sardinia on the digital platform.
This latest switch-off extends digital coverage to the whole of Sardinia.Plans are also in place to gradually extend the analogue switch-off to the northern regions of Trentino Alto Adige and Piedmont.
Analogue switch-off is expected to be completed by 2012.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 9th October 2007



Italy delays switch-off to 2012
Paolo Gentiloni, Italy’s Minister of Telecommunications has confirmed that the country’s analogue switch-off date will be put back four years from December 2008 to 2012.
He said that the original date was un-realistic. At the same time he also announced the introduction of a new rule that will force distributors to sell, only DTT ready TV sets, from next year.
GfK Eurisko released figures in July estimating the total number of Italian households with DTT decoders at 4.9 million and the total number of TV households in Italy at 21 million.
Source: Rapid TV
Item added: 2nd October 2007

Sardinia to complete digital switchover in March 2008
The complete switchover from analogue to digital TV is set to take place in March 2008 according to Broadband TV News.
Italy’s communication minister Paulo Gentiloni is reported to have made the announcement recently and went on to say that the Government had three priorities, the opening of frequencies, the production of new programmes and giving preference to local TV channels.
Gentiloni said that DTT was being watched by 2-3% of the Italian population and by 45% of the population in the Cagliari area of Sardinia.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 14th August 2007

Digital TV spectrum divided
Italy’s digital television legislation moved further forward recently after two parliamentary committees approved proposals on how the country’s digital spectrum should be allocated, according to Broadband TV News.
Article 3 of the legislation covers what should happen to spectrum currently occupied by RAI Due and Mediaset’s Rete 4. Both broadcasters had been attempting to retain the capacity after the analogue switch off, but it now seems likely that part of the spectrum will go to the lesser-known Europa & channel.
RAI and Mediaset also have to face a reduction in the time needed to establish the nationwide digital network from 15 to 9 months. It will also become compulsory that all TV’s sold in Italy must be equipped with a digital tuner.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 8th August 2007


DTT penetration reaches 19%
According to data collected by Makno & Consulting, Digital Terrestrial Television is now received by 4.5 million Italian families, 19.5% of total TV households.
These figures which were made up to June also estimate the number of Sky Italia satellite TV households at 4.5 million and IPTV households at 400,000.
Further analysis indicates that 3.9 million households with DTT receivers use them occasionally, 1.1 million nearly all the time, 850,000 leave them switched on continuously and 400,000 of them are connected to a telephone line.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 30th July 2007

RAI gets €33m to expand DTT
Italian Communications Minister, Paola Gentiloni has issued a ministerial decree assigning €33m to RAI for the expansion of DTT coverage throughout Italy during 2007. The money will also be used for the creation of new TV content to stimulate the take up of DTT.
In total RAI expect to spend €145m to extend digital coverage to 85% of the population.
Total resources budgeted for DTT by the Government for 2007-2009 are €300m.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 24th July 2007

Italian digital TV subsidy
The Italian government has announced plans to provide subsidies of up to €200 on the purchase of new television sets that feature a digital tuner.
Legislation is required before the subsidies can be put in place and some opposition still has to be overcome before it can be implemented, but it is hoped that the law will be passed ahead of the start of the football season in September when sales of new TV traditionally rise.
Some five million Italians change their TV sets each year.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 16th July 2007



3 Italia DVB-H service reaches 600,000 subscribers
Italian mobile telephony operator 3 Italia has reached 600,000 subscribers for its mobile TV DVB-H service, which was launched in July 2006 during the soccer World Cup in Germany.
3 TV currently offers 12 mobile digital channels, including Sky Sport, Sky TG24, Sky Cinema, Sky Vivo, Rai Uno, Rai Due, Mediaset, Boing, La 3 Live, La 3 Sport, as well as six digital channels dedicated to soccer. The service content is protected by Nagravision’s  Nagra Mobile TV content protection solution.
Source: Telecompaper
Item added: 16th July 2007


EU approves Italian digital TV subsidies
The European Commission has decided that subsidies for equipment for the reception of digital television granted by Italy in 2007 are in compliance with EC Treaty state aid rules.
The investigation concluded that tax deductions worth up to €40 million are technology neutral and proportional to promoting the transition to digital TV.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 3rd July 2007

Italy to tender 40% of DTT capacity in July 2007
A tender to assign 40% of Italy’s existing DVB-T multiplex capacity should be ready by the end of July.
The tender concerns the capacity established in the previous Broadcasting Bill and covers the multiplexes already used by national broadcasters, RAI, Mediaset and Telecom Italia Media. The announcement was made during a presentation of a unique database of TV frequencies in Italy.
According to the database there are 629 TV channels in Italy, 10 DTT multiplexes and 24,680 transmitters from high power main stations to low power repeaters.
The database is designed to allow Italy to align itself with international decisions regarding spectrum usage and manage frequencies during the transition from analogue to an all-digital terrestrial TV service.
Main source: advanced-television.com
Item added: June 12th 2007

Telecom Italia revenues boosted by DTT
Telecom Italia has posted revenues of €57.6 million for Q1 up 35% on the same period last year. Growth was said to be particularly noticeable in the DTT sector with revenues of €12.3 million, up 132.1%.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 15th May 2007


Analogue switch of continues
Following the switch-off of analogue services in Sardinia on the 1st March the Valle d’Aosta became the next region to follow when it completed the change over on the 16th April.
Over 600,000 people were affected in the city of Aosta and its 16 neighbouring municipalities.
The next regions to switch off analogue services will be the provinces of Trento and Bolzano, followed by Veneto, Tuscany and Sicily.
Figures attributed to Gfk set the number of Italian homes with DTT decoders at 5,006,867.
The goal of the Ministry of Communication is to equip 21 million Italian homes with digital boxes before complete analogue switch off in 2012.
Source: advanced television.com
Item added: 19th April 2007


Pay to view DTT raises broadcaster revenues
Both Mediaset and Telecom Italia Media have reported increases in the revenue from their Pay to view DTT services.
Mediaset sold 1.1 million rechargeable pre-paid cards in 2006 and a further 4.1 million re-charges. This generated €108 million compared to €44 million in 2005.
Rival Telecom Italia Media reported that its Pay to view DTT revenues reached €31.5 million in 2006 more than three times its €10.4 million revenue in 2005.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 2nd April 2007


RAI to test IPTV/DTT hybrid STB’s
RAI Nuovi Media and RaiNet have launched an IPTV/DTT trial using a hybrid Set Top Box (STB).
Viewers participating in the trial will be able to access content from both the DTT and IPTV platforms allowing them to use video on demand services as well as view new forms of advertising. The viewers will also be able to use time shifting when viewing content.
Interoperability and the use of services regardless of the users broadband connectivity are key-features of the trial service.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 27th March 2007


Gentiloni warns against unauthorised use of released analogue spectrum
Italy’s minister Paolo Gentiloni has warned broadcasters that spectrum released when analogue transmissions are switched off will be advertised to new operators.
The minister was commenting in response to a written question from Mediaset, which plans to test the transmission of terrestrial HD on frequencies in the Cagliari region soon to be released when Raidue and Rete4 move to the digital platform. He is reported to have said that judicial measures will be used if necessary to stop un-authorised broadcasters using the released spectrum. He also called for co-operation among broadcasters saying that the number of available frequencies may be less than some parties are expecting.
Source: Ministry of Communications
Item added: 27th March 2007


DVB-T Hierarchical modulation trialed by 3 Italia and RRD
Mobile operator 3 Italia and network operator Reti Radiotelevisive Digitali (RRD) have successfully completed hierarchical modulation trials on 3-Italia’s DVB-H network, according to Broadband TV news. The aim of the trial was to test the possibility of transmitting several standard and high definition TV channels alongside the existing TV channels on the DVB-H mobile TV service.
The tests showed that an additional 4 SDTV channels could be transmitted alongside the existing mobile service. Using Hierarchical modulation in future will enable 3 Italia to transmit two separate data streams, one for the existing DVB-H service and the other for terrestrial DVB-T channels.
Source: advanced television
Item added: 21st March 2007


DVB-H commercial services with 3 Italia
Alessandro Floris, 3 Italia’s Mobile TV director, speaking at the recent DVB World conference in Dublin, said that in October 2006 there were 250,000 subscribers to its DVB-H service. The service, which started in June, has more than 90% outdoor usage with peaks before dinner and during the lunch break. Watching sport is the most popular activity both in terms of penetration and viewing times. The service provides 9 television services in its basic €29/month package. Three premium services are also available, one being dedicated to “Grande Fratello” (Big Brother) and the remaining two to adult services.
Source: DVB
Item added: 13th March 2007

Analogue switch-off begins in Sardinia
The analogue channels of public service broadcaster Rai Due and Mediaset's Retequattro will be shut off in the Cagliari area (Sardinia) on 1 March 2007.
After this, these channels will only be available on the Digital Terrestrial and Satellite platforms.
To ease the transition the Italian Government is providing subsidies for the acquisition of digital decoders and it estimated that 560,000 Sardinians who are regularly paying the TV license fee would qualify for a E70 discount on the purchase of a DTT box. While announcing these subsidies, the president of the DGTVi consortium, Andrea Ambrogetti, also revealed that Retequattro is to launch HD (High Definition) trials.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 26th February 2007

Switchover planned for Cagliari in March 2007  
Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia, will switch-off its national analogue transmissions in March 2007 and become the first "all-digital" region in Italy.
At this time national broadcasts provided by RAI, Mediaset and Telecom Italia Media will only be available on the DTT platform.
DTT viewers will also be able to access new services for children from RAI, a continuous news service from Mediaset and an interactive service, call Qoob, from Telecom Italia Media.
Source: Yahoo Italia
Item added: 16^th January 2007

Sky Italia and Vodafone unveil mobile TV offering
Sky Italia, the Italian arm of pay-television broadcaster BSkyB, has linked up with its local division of Vodafone to deliver programmes to mobile owners via a new digital TV service based on the DVB-H standard.
Vodafone Italia said its customers will be able to access "the very best from Sky's channels", which include news and entertainment, as well as exclusive sports content that previously was only available to Sky satellite subscribers.
The new service will make use of Vodafone Italia's transmission network in conjunction with Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld (DVB-H) technology and capacity provided by leading Italian broadcaster Mediaset SpA.
It will compete against 3 Italia's WalkTV, Europe's first commercially available DVB-H mobile television service, which launched earlier this year.
Source: DTG website
Item added: 19th December 2006

DTT Multiplex capacity to be auctioned
Italy’s Communications watchdog (AGCOM), has given the go ahead for new regulations that will allow 40% of the digital multiplex capacity of national broadcasters RAI, Mediaset and Telecom Italia Media, to be put up for auction.
The move is intended to speed up the transition to DTT starting in the “digital regions” of Valle d’Aosta and Sardinia.
A commission of Experts will be set up to action the plan. The regulations are a result of requests made by Italia Digitale Committee chaired by Minister Paolo Gentiloni according to the advanced-television.com website.
Implementation of the new procedure is expected to take several months.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 28th November 2006

Government allocates €120 million for digital switchover
The Italian Government has agreed to set aside €120 million over the next three years to help with the transition from analogue to digital television.
Minister of Communications, Paolo Gentiloni, believes that the €120 million allocated in the Budget represents "a reasonable figure," however he went on to say that "further resources will be needed".
Gentiloni also remarked that the 2012 analogue switch-off deadline set by the EU is "too close". He noted that for analogue switch-off to take place, DTT coverage would need to increase to the full population. Currently, DTT services are available to 70% of the population.
Main source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 8th November 2006

New Communications Bill approved by Cabinet
The Italian Cabinet has approved the reforms to the television market proposed by the Minister for Communications Paolo Gentiloni. The bill introduces new regulations during the switchover phase from analogue to digital terrestrial.
According to the proposal, new measures will be introduced such as a limitation to 45% on the amount of advertising market share that a given broadcaster can hold. Currently, Mediaset has a 66% advertising market share.
The bill also calls for the removal of legal and regulatory barriers that prevent new broadcasters from entering the DTT market.
To help with switch-over, the bill proposes that broadcasters with more that 3 channels on the analogue platform make one of channels exclusively available on the DTT platform and thus switch-off of the analogue service. This would affect both RAI and Mediaset.
The bill still has to have the approval of parliament before it becomes law.
It aims to reform the existing legislation as per the Gaspari law of 2004 (law 112/2004).
Source: Digitag and   Ministry of Communications  
Item added: 17th October 2006

Italys second commercial DVB-H service launched
Less than two years since  the publication of the DVB-H standard by ETSI, mobile TV based on DVB-H is now a commercial reality with over 140,000 subscribers signed up in Italy since June.
Now a second commercial DVB-H service has been officially launched in Italy by TIM and Mediaset. This began service on the 9th September 2006.
Source: Various
Item added: 16th September 2006

Gentiloni calls for an open TV platform similar to Freeview in the UK
At the recent conference organised by the DGTVi, Communications Minister, Paolo Gentiloni, called for the creation of an open DTT platform similar to Freeview in the United Kingdom.
The new platform would be called ‘Tivu’ and Gentiloni hoped that new broadcasters would be able to provide services on the DTT platform.
In response to this a Mediaset representative announced that it was already developing two new channels for its existing DTT platforms, one devoted to TV serials and the other to news.
The Minister also announced that the analogue switch off date, 2012, could be achieved and went on to say that a frequency plan would be put together in early 2007.
Source: Ministry of Communications website
Item added: 29th August 2006

Communications Minister Paolo Gentiloni Constitutes “Digital Italy”
Italy’s Communications Minister Paolo Gentiloni has announced the formation of “Italia Digitale” a committee of organisations which will define and co-ordinate the necessary activities for the transition to digital television and the subsequent switch of existing analogue services.
The committee is made up of representatives from various organisations with an interest in the change these include: 3 Electronica, AGCOM, Ministry of Communications, Alps Association, Coord. to Aeranti Corallo, Fastweb, Foundation UGO Bordoni, FRT, Gruppo Editoriale L’Espresso, Prima TV, RAI, Independent region of Sardinia, Independent region of Aosta, Rete Capri, RTI-Reti Televisive, SKY, Telecom Italia Media.
A committee chaired by Minister Gentiloni, has also been set up to co-ordinate the whole activity and consisting of representatives from AGCOM, DGTVi, Ministry of Communications, RAI and RTI.
Source: Il Ministero Delle Comunicazioni
Item added: 22^nd August 2006

Mediaset in talks for an all-news channel on the DVB-H network
Italian broadcaster Mediaset is reported by advanced-television.com to be planning an all –news channel for its DVB-H network. Negotiations with several possible partners are said to be underway including CNN.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 7th August 2006

Mobile TV growing quickly in Italy
The world's first commercial mobile TV service using DVB-H technology was launched in Italy on June 5th.
3 Italia, the mobile network operator that launched the service, said last week that it has signed up 111,000 in the first six weeks of operation.
The chief executive of 3 Italia was reported in the International Herald Tribune as having said "We didn't expect the numbers to be this high, and we also didn't expect the strong growth trend to continue even after the conclusion of the World Cup.
Everybody has been saying that mobile television has been overhyped, but so far the vast majority of users have been satisfied with the service, and this bodes well for the future of mobile television.
" The operator is aiming to have 500,000 mobile television clients by the end of 2006. The service is currently available in about 2000 Italian towns and cities with 40 being added each day.
For more information about the service, visit www.dvb-h.org.
Item added:25th July 2006

Four million DTT receivers sold in Italy
Research published by GFK Eurisko estimates that 4 million DTT receivers have been sold in Italy during the last two years. More than half of these were purchased with a government subsidy. In the period between January and November 2005 2.6 million DTT receivers were sold most of which were MHP-enabled.
A pre-payment DTT service offered by Mediaset and LA7 also proved popular further boosting sales for boxes with MHP capability.
Source: Pc world.it
Item added: 11th July 2006

Switch off in Sardinia and Val D’Aosta set for 2008
The Minister for Communication, Paolo Gentiloni, has announced the postponement of analogue switch off   from 31 July to 1st March 2008 in Sardinia and to the 1st October 2008 in theValle d’Aosta. The decision was made because large sectors of the population have not yet obtained decoders for DTT.
Gentiloni went on to say that “the switchover phase from anaologue to digital terrestrial will be longer than planned and that the government will work together with broadcasting companies in each region to achieve the new dates. Firm commitment is also needed to expand the range of digital TV products currently on offer”
In order to keep to the new “switch-off” deadline, the Ministry of Communications, the Sardinia Region, the Valle d’Aosta Region and the DGTV have signed two new protocols of understanding which redefine reciprocal commitments to implement all that is required for the switchover from analogue to digital terrestrial TV broadcasting.
Source: Communicazioni.it
Item added: 4th July 2006

Firm DTT action called for !
The Communication Minister, Paulo Gentiloni, has called for government action on DTT policy in the next few weeks. He went on to say "Italy needs to adopt a serious switchover strategy with regard to digital terrestrial, which means more than a never-ending series of deadlines which are continually put off "
Following the formal review of the results from the pilots in Sardinia and Val D’Aosta, the government may issue a ministerial decree on analogue switch-off. Both pilots are expected to be completed by 31st July 2006.
Main source: advanced–television.com
Item added: 26th June 2006

3 Italia launches commercial DVB-H services
"Walk TV" services were planned for launch today the 1st June. Walk TV is the first commercial DVB-H service launched in Europe and viewers can access services from RAI, Mediaset, SKY, and LA3. Viewers will also be able to watch coverage of the FIFA World Cup.
Source: 3 Italia press release in English
Item added: 1st June 2006

Telecom Italia to launch DVB-H services in June
Telecom Italia announced recently that it will start selling mobile broadcast services using DVB-H in June. The handsets will be supplied by South Korean company Samsung.
TV programmes from Canale 5, Retequattro, Italia Uno, LA7 and MTV Italia, plus Serie A TIM and Champions League fotball matches will be available live to subscribers using the Samsung SGH-P290 handset.
The units will also allow access to UMTS services as well as make calls and access content using 3G.
The company expects to achieve a service coverage of 75% of the population by the end of the year and predicts 1 million subscribers by the end of 2008.
Source: TotalTelecom
Item added: 1st May 2006

Mediaset and Vodafone Italia join for mobile TV
Media company Mediaset and mobile operator Vodafone Italia have signed a DVB-H agreement to accelerate and boost the commercial rollout of mobile terrestrial digital TV using DVB-H in Italy.
Vodafone Italia has agreed to use Mediaset's multiplex DVB-H capacity for a period of five years with an option for a further five years. Vodafone Italia will make its technology and broadcast infrastructure available to help complete the network rollout during 2006.
Source: DMeurope.com
Item added: 25th April 2006

Broadcast regulator AGCOM announces plans for an all-digital broadcast environment
The Italian Communications Authority, AGCOM, has issued a declaration regarding its objectives for planning an all-digital broadcast environment. AGCOM will compile a national register of terrestrial broadcast frequencies. The national registry will allow a review of the initial frequency allocation plan established in 2002 and will be used in to help plan analogue switch-off.
The national register will also be used to plan for the allocation of additional multiplexes that could become available following analogue switch-off. AGCOM hopes that a total of 12 multiplexes will be available, dependant on international agreement.

AGCOM has called for increased controls to ensure that multiplex operators provide independent content providers and broadcasters with access to 40% of the multiplex capacity. It is a possiblity that AGCOM  will introduce an auctioning process for the allocation of any  frequencies that become available at switch-off.
AGCOM is also planning to put together regulations for DVB-H use.
Source: AGCOM website
Item added: 6th April 2006

3 Italia announce a June 2006 for its DVB-H service
3 Italia the Telecom operator has been progressing its plan to launch a mobile television service called 'La Tre' in time for the Word Cup. The service which uses the DVB-H standard will initially provide 15 TV 'channels' including services from Mediaset, Sky and of course live World Cup coverage. An increase to 20 channels is planned for the end of the year.  
A subscriber base of 600,000 is expected by the end of the year.
Source: 3 Italia
Item added: 23rd February 2006

Terrestrial HDTV at Turin Olympics
Visitors to Turin for the Winter Olympic Games will be able to view live HDTV pictures transmitted over the RAI DVB-T network at various points around the city. The demonstration will utilise the very latest Advanced Video Coding technology.
Source: DVB
Item added: 13th February 2006

Analogue switch-off postponed until 2008
In a declaration made at the Council of Ministers meeting in Brussels, the Italian Minister of Communications, Mario Landolfi, announced that Italy has postponed its analogue switch-off to 2008.
The government had initially planned to end analogue terrestrial television transmissions on 31 December 2006.
Source: Digitag
Item added: 7th February 2006

Analogue Switch-off in Sardinia and Valle d'Aoste postponed
The switch-off date for analogue TV services in Sardinia and the Valle d'Aoste has changed from the 31st January until the 15th March 2006 during the first phase of the digitisation process.
Source: dgtv
Item added: 7th February 2006

3 Italia acquires channel for nationwide DVB-H service
3 Italia has signed an agreement with the Profit Group to acquire Channel 7 according to Advanced-Television.com.
Channel 7 holds a network licence for national digital TV distribution on terrestrial frequencies. The deal makes 3 Italia the first Italian mobile video company able to offer DVB-H services on its own network.
The company will implement the DVB-H network for its 4.8 million customers starting in the second half of 2006. Both DVB-H combined with UMTS will be used.
Source: Advanced-Television.com
Item added: 29th November 2005

Conference reviews DTT progress
At the Third National Conference on DTT held in Vicenza, Italian leaders discussed the current DTT progress and plans for the future. The conference was organised by the Fondazione Ugo Bordoni.

The first phase of analogue switch-off is ready to begin in Sardinia and Val d'Aosta. On 31 January, analogue terrestrial transmissions will end for 70% of the population. Full analogue switch-off will take place on 21 July.

The deputy minister for communications, Paolo Romani, noted that, as in previous years, €110 million has been included in the 2006 budget in order to help households purchase interactive set-top boxes. It is likey, however, that the amount of the subsidy will decrease from €70 to €50 per household.

In addition, Romani also announced that the next region for analogue switch-off will likely be Friuli Venezia Giulia.
Source; Digitag
Item added: 11th October 2005


2006 Launch For DVB-H Services In Italy Announced
Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM) and media group Mediaset announced on Thursday 6th October 2005, an agreement to broadcast live television to mobile phones from 2006 using DVB-H technology. TIM said it would provide broadcasts of Mediaset's three TV channels and football on its top-of-the-range mobile phones for five years from 2006. This follows reports that Verizon will also begin DVB-H services across the USA next year using a network built and operated by Crown Castle.
Source: DVB
Item added: 9th Oct 2005

Previous

Analogue Switch-off in Sardinia and Valle d'Aoste
The local governments of Sardinia and Valle d'Aoste have signed an agreement with the national Ministry of Communications to switch-off their analogue signals by January 2006. As part of the agreement, the local governments will work together with broadcasters to put in place the necessary conditions to allow for analogue switch-off. Source: Digitag
Item added: 26th April 2005

Previous

RTD Launch new DTT channels and iTV services underpinned by DigiSoft technology
Milan, Italy, January 27th 2005
Today in Milan, Reti Televisive Digitali (RTD) officially launched two new Digital Terrestrial TV (DTT) channels and new MHP interactive TV (iTV) applications and services based on the DigiHost platform from Irish iTV software company DigiSoft.TV. RTD already provides 24-hour coverage to an area of Italy from Lombardy to Milan, Como, Varese and Pavia, with a population in excess of five million people. At the launch ceremony, Raimondo Lagostena, the President of partner companies, Profit Group and Odeon TV, Italy's fourth largest broadcaster, described the rapidly changing environment of Italian TV as analogue TV broadcasting comes to an end and fifty-eight million Italian citizens make the switch to Digital TV.
Source:Digisoft  http://www.digisoft.tv/news/pressreleases/press14.html

Official Launch of DTT
Italy officially launched DVB-T services on the 1st January 2004, initially providing some services to 50% of the population. By the end of 2004, 5 multiplexes should be in operation, 2Mux's from RAI with 9-10 programmes, 1 Mux from Mediaset with 5 programmes, 1 Mux from Telecom/TV International with 2 programmes and 1 Mux operated by "Holland Co-ordinator and Services" on frequencies released by the former Tele+.
The coverage will be extended to 70% of provincial capitals during 2005.

MHP Box subsidy
In another initiative the government is pushing MHP by making a subsidy of 120-150 million Euros available to ensure the supply of 900,000 MHP enabled STBs. For recent STB prices comparisons look at
http://www.trovaprezzi.it/categoria.aspx?id=79&libera=MHP

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: 6th January 2009, Barry Tew.