The National Communications Authority (Anacom) has six months to decide whether to renew the rights to use frequencies for Digital Terrestrial Television (TDT) to Altice Portugal, via Meo, or to start a new process to obtain a to select a supplier for DTT. confirms the regulator to Dinheiro Vivo.
Anacom’s official source explains that while the law allows the current operator to apply for the renewal of a license up to one year before its validity expires, “there is no automaticity” that the owner of Meo guarantees the maintenance of DTT beyond 2023 .
“Everything is now being analyzed and evaluated. We have six months to respond, depending on the analysis that is carried out,” adds the same source.
Although questioned, an official source from the communications regulator does not clarify what assumptions or criteria will guide Anacom’s assessment of Altice Portugal’s request. The current law on electronic communications only specifies that any decision of the regulatory authority, within the said six months after “receipt of the request for renewal”, must be “duly justified” within the framework of “an open, transparent and discriminatory process”. . . That is, the DTT file will undergo a public consultation process, “giving interested parties the opportunity to comment on the [eventual] innovation”.
In theory, Anacom has the authority not to renew Meo’s license and proceed with “a new selection process for the granting of rights to use radio frequencies” with respect to DTT. However, with Altice showing interest in continuing to provide the Digital Terrestrial Television service to the Portuguese, it is most likely that DTT, even if amenable to some adjustments, will remain in the hands of that telecom.
On December 7, Meo’s owner announced that she had asked Anacom to renew the rights to use DTT frequencies. The company led by Ana Figueiredo had until December 9 to express this interest. The DTT service was transferred to Meo (then of the former Portugal Telecom) on 9 December 2008 for 15 years. License expires December 9, 2023.
Altice Portugal was not always satisfied with the terms of service. In January 2019, the company, then led by Alexandre Fonseca, even threatened to give up the service after Anacom imposed a price cut of 15 to 16% on the channels broadcast on the platform. At that time DTT only had four channels, but today it broadcasts seven (RTP 1, RTP 2, RTP 3, RTP Memória, SIC, TVI and Canal Parliament). Wholesale prices have not been further reduced so far.
Since its first appearance, the service has been the target of successive criticism from television stations, both for its limited offerings and the fees charged for access.
NOS and Vodafone, competitors of Altice, never showed interest in DTT.
The government says in the 2023 national budget that DTT will be retained, but does not provide a vision for the future for the service. Anacom, on the other hand, has argued for DTT to be offered free of charge via cable.
Source: DN
