Two offers were received for both the operation of the terrestrial level digital television broadcasting network and the operation of the terrestrial level digital radio network, reported the National Communications Authority of Hungary (NHH) after the submission deadline for the tender had expired. Two companies have submitted bids to operate the terrestrial level digital television broadcasting network, namely Antenna Hungária Zrt. and Digital Broadcasting Kft., while Antenna Hungária Zrt., and Magyar Rádió Zrt. have submitted bids for the operation of the terrestrial level digital radio broadcasting network.
NHH published the international tender regarding the entitlement to the operation of the five digital terrestrial level television broadcasting networks and the single digital radio broadcasting network operating within a VHF band on March 25. The deadline for the submission of offers was 11.00 a.m. on Thursday, followed by the opening of tenders.
Altogether nine companies have purchased the two separate tender invitations, of which seven was interested in the operation of the television, and two in the operation of the radio multiplex broadcasting network. Pursuant to the Act on Digital Switchover, no enterprise or enterprise that has a controlling interest in that specific enterprise may participate in the television tender if its total number of subscribers on the television broadcasting market exceeds three hundred thousand, with the exception of program broadcasting performed via digital television broadcasting network, nor any subsidiary thereof that is a program provider in the territory of Hungary. No national radio program provider or an enterprise that has a controlling interest in such national provider, with the exception of the national public radio and the national radio public program provider, may participate in the radio tender.
In the first round NHH shall check if the requirements regarding the form of tenders are met and shall, within 15 days at the latest, make a decision following the approval of the relevant Parliamentary committee, regarding the compliance of the bids with the tender invitation, i.e. establish whether the bids are valid.
Subsequently, the tenders shall be evaluated regarding their content, and following the approval of the Parliamentary committee, the results of the tender shall be announced in August, 2008.
In the event that the tender procedure is successful, above the ground level digital broadcasting and mobile television services, offering a range of new services and considerably more advanced than the current analogue broadcasting system, may be launched as early as this year in Hungary.
NHH hopes that the terrestrial level digital television broadcasting will strengthen competition in the television market, at the same time making it possible for 20-25 percent of Hungarian households - that are currently only watching television using either a room or a roof antenna - to have access to a much broader spectrum of programs than before.
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