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RTE plans for Saorview digital TV service
24 January 2010 By Samantha McCaughren
Plans for Ireland’s new digital television service, to be called Saorview, are moving ahead, with RTE appointing a company to test receivers for the new signal.
The state broadcaster is continuing with plans for its digital terrestrial television (DTT) service, even though the commercial side of the project has yet to be agreed. Saorview is likely to become a household name when the old analogue television signal - which is received via aerials - is switched off in 2012. Television viewers will then either switch to Saorview or sign up to an operator such as Sky or UPC for a paid for service.
Saorview will be a free public service giving viewers access to RTE 1, RTE 2, TV3, TG4 and several other channels.
However, the plan is that a commercial operator will also operate on DTT, so that customers can obtain paid-for extras, such as movie packages.
RTE last week appointed television services company Teracom to test receivers or decoders for compatibility with the Irish free-to-air signal. Receivers which pass the test by meeting the Irish DTT specifications will be eligible to be licensed to use RTE’s Saorview logo.
The Eircom-backed OneVision consortium was awarded the commercial DTT contract last May. While it has yet to sign up for the project, sources close to the process said significant progress was being made.
The major stumbling block is reaching agreement with RTE on transmission costs and guarantees.
RTE is spending €100 million on the DTT network and wants a commitment from the commercial partner.
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