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DVB-T experience in Austria

• Dr. Alfred Grinschgl
• CEO, RTR-GmbH
• Austrian Regulatory Authority for Broadcasting
  and Telecommunications

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Agenda

• General conditions in Austria
• The Digitisation Plan
• The Austrian Digitisation Fund
• Test trial for DVB-T and MHP in Graz
• Results and insights
• A plea to our neighbouring countries

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Chapter 1 General conditions
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Legal regulation

• 2001 Private Broadcasting Act and KommAustria
  Act
• Legal basis for terrestrial nationwide private TV
• Establishment of KommAustria and RTR-GmbH
• Emphasis on digital broadcasting (Komm Austria
  was instructed to draw up a plan for the
  introduction of digital broadcasting, especially
  DVB-T)
• Formation of the working group Digitale
  Plattform Austria (300 members)
• 2004 Installation of a Digitisation Fund by
  the Austrian Government (7,5 Mio. Euro per year)
  to support the digitisation process in a platform
  neutral way. State grant notification process is
  still ongoing.

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The Austrian television market

• Liberalisation of the TV market took place very
  late (ATV, Austrias first nationwide
  terrestrial TV station on air since June 2003)
• Compared to the print media market the Austrian
  TV market is undersized
• Strong TV market position by Public Service
  Broadcaster ORF ( 50 viewers market share
  74 market share in TV advertising expenditures)
• All major private stations in Germany operate
  windows with specific Austrian advertising (Due
  to the same language RTL, RTLII, Super RTL, Pro7,
  SAT.1 and Kabel1 reach 30 viewers market share
  and 23 of gross TV advertising expenditures)

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Viewer market shares 2003
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Share of advertising in Austria
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TV platforms in Austria
Basis TV households
analogue cable
satellite digital
digital cable
analogue terrestrial
analogue satellite
Source ORF Monitoring Sept 2003 Jan 2004 /
FESSEL-GfK Fernsehforschung
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Broadcasting platforms in Austria

• Satellite 45 of Austrian TV households (28
  digital), digitisation process is fast and
  market-driven
• Cable 38 of TV households (5 digital)
• Terrestrial TV 16 of TV households receive
  their TV programmes exclusively in a terrestrial
  way, BUT more than 50 of TV households receive
  the Austrian TV programmes terrestrially (ORF and
  ATV are not available via analogue satellite)
• Low chances of a market-driven transition
• BUT high significance for the Austrian media
  landscape and cultural identity
• Source Media Analyse 2003

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Chapter 2 The Digitisation Plan
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Digitisation Plan

• A first plan for the introduction of DVB-T was
  issued by KommAustria in December 2003.
• The plan contains a strategy for the nationwide
  introduction of DVB-T in Austria including a
  timetable for the implementation until the year
  2010
• Strong integration of the members of Digitale
  Plattform Austria
• The plan also constitutes the Austrian report to
  the European Commission about the transition
  strategy according to the eEurope 2005 Action
  Plan.

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Digitisation Plan factors of success

• Factors of success during the introduction
• Greater diversity of TV programmes
• Digital added value interactive services (EPG,
  digital Videotext) and improved picture quality
• New ways of reception portable indoor and mobile
  reception (if economically efficient)
• Business model capacity for additional services
  (datacasting etc.)
• Austria is planning two multiplexes for the
  switch-over phase. Both multiplexes will be
  granted to one single operator in order to
  guarantee a solid business model until analogue
  turn off.

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Timetable

• Phase 1 Preparation (until end of 2005)
• Test trials, frequency planning, call for tenders
  concerning the MUX operator
• Phase 2 Introduction (2006)
• Assembling of DVB-T networks in cities and
  regional centers
• Condition 60 coverage (population) after one
  year
• Phase 3 Switch over (2007 to 2010)
• Regional switchover after a short simulcast phase
  in each region
• Regional ATO with coverage 90 fixed reception
  and 25 portable indoor
• Phase 4 Analogue Turn Off (2010)
• Six nationwide (!) multiplexes will be possible
• Call for tender for operation of further MUX
  platforms

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Chapter 3 The Austrian Digitisation Fund
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The Austrian Digitisation Fund

• Legally established in August 2003 by the
  Austrian government
• funding of digital transmission technologies
  and digital applications based on European
  standards in connection with broadcasting
• 7,5 Million Euro per year, administered by RTR
• Funds can cover up to 50 of the costs of a
  certain project
• Platform-neutral disposition
• RTR is to issue directives for funding practice
• Notification process with EC ongoing since autumn
  2003

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The legal purpose of the digitisation fund

• Scientific studies
• Test trials
• Development of digital applications
• Actions for public information
• Subsidies of Set-Top-Boxes
• Subsidies for additional costs for broadcasters
  (simulcast)
• Incentives for early adopters
• Finanzing RTRs and KommAustrias digisation
  related expenses
• Terrestrial infrastrucure (in regions where
  network investments are not economically
  justifyable)

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Chapter 4 The DVB-T Trial in Graz
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The project

• Complete cycle for interactive TV based on MHP
• DVB-T single frequency network, fixed and
  portable indoor reception
• 4 programmes are distributed on TV channel 62
  ORF1, ORF2, ATV and !TV4GRAZ
• !TV4GRAZ special TV programme incl. interactive
  MHP applications by ORF, ATV, goTV, SAT.1
  Österreich, ProSieben Austria, Steiermark 1 und
  Aichfeld TV
• Test panel consisting of 150 households, equipped
  with MHP set-top-boxes (Fujitsu Siemens, Humax,
  Nokia und Philips) including return channel via
  ADSL and POTS
• Market research with diaries and usability tests
  (FesselGfK)
• Period May to August 2004 final report was
  published in autumn

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The key partners of the trial

• ORF TV programmes, interactive services,
  multiplex and transmitter operator
• Siemens AG Österreich Interactive Application
  Center and development of MHP applications
• Telekom Austria AG signal distribution to the
  transmitters, return channel infrastructure
• RTR-GmbH project management, communication and
  market research
• Additional partners Österr. Sportwetten GmbH,
  Sony Net Services, Bearing Point, Technische
  Universität Graz, Joanneum Research, evolaris
  Privatstiftung etc.

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Examples for interactive MHP applications in Graz
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Enhanced TV INFOTEXT by ORF
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Ordering Application by ATVplus (Merchandising)
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Sports Betting Application by Tipp3
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Near video on demand Application by go.tv
(Jukebox)
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Chapter 5 Results and insights
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Technical experiences

• Interaction cycle based on DVB-T and MHP
• Set-Top-Boxes play key role
• Input for the further development of MHP
• Return channel and data processing center
• Frequency engineering experience

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Strategic Results and insights (Source market
research by Fessel-GfK)

• Integration into an international network
  (DICE)
• Raising public awarness (43 say they understand
  what Digital-TV is 73 welcome introduction of
  DVB-T))
• Know-how acquisition (broadcasters and
  IT-companies)
• Development of business modells (betting,
  advertising)
• Consumer expectations for Electronic Program
  Guides
• Viewer acceptance and usability of MHP-based
  content
• Picture quality (43 wish for improvment)
• Mobile and portable recepetion (30 can imagine
  watching TV on mobile phones)

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Chapter 6 A plea to our neighbouring countries
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A plea to our neighbouring countries

• Frequency ressources are scarce
• Especially in central Europe frequencies are
  needed by many countries at the same time
• Providing sufficient coverage for all countries
  needs a joint effort!
• Therefore for successfull frequency planning and
  coordinating it is vital to
• Permanent communicate
• Consider the needs of our neighbours
• Realise that maybe not all expectations can be
  realised
• Coordinate time schedules for switch over
• Dedicate the channels 61 to 69 for DVB-T

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Thank you!For further information please
contactalfred.grinschgl_at_rtr.atwww.rtr.at