Regulation News

SARFT Requires Encryption for CMMB
Feb 27, 2009 – China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) has announced that by the end of 2009, all CMMB terminals need to have conditional access (CA) systems installed.
News categories: SARFT, China, Conditional Access, Digital TV, Mobile, Regulation

South Africa postpones Invitation To Apply for Mobile TV Broadcasting Services
Feb 24, 2009 – The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa has informed all interested parties that it has decided to temporarily withdraw an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for frequencies to provide mobile digital video broadcasting services.
News categories: Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, Digital TV, Mobile, Regulation, South Africa

Mobiele TV Nederland gets DMB licence
Feb 12, 2009 – The Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs has decided to issue a national DAB+DMB licence to Mobiele TV Nederland. The company plans to launch a mobile TV service in The Netherlands using the DMB standard.
News categories: MTVNL, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Digital TV, Mobile, Netherlands, Regulation

Statement of President Barack Obama on Signing the DTV Bill
Feb 11, 2009 – President Barack Obama has signed S.352, a bill to postpone the DTV transition date to June 12th to allow for more time for the American consumers to prepare for the switch from analog television.
News categories: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Committee on Energy and Commerce, The White House, ATSC 3, Digital TV, Regulation, Set Top Box, Terrestrial, USA

Spanish judge orders open decoder market
Jan 26, 2009 – A judge of the Provincial Court of Madrid (Audiencia Provincial de Madrid) has ruled that the pay-TV operator Sogecable and its subsidiary Digital+ have to open up the market for decoders of the service.
News categories: Sogecable, Digital TV, Regulation, Satellite, Set Top Box, Spain

AT&T U-verse TV Becomes One of First Providers to Receive Energy Star Certification for Set-Top Boxes
Jan 21, 2009 – AT&T (NYSE:T) has announced that AT&T U-verse TV is one of the first video service providers to receive certification for its set-top boxes under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR program for video providers.
News categories: U-verse, ENERGY STAR, IPTV, Regulation, Set Top Box, USA

Bosnia and Herzegovina issues draft DTT strategy
Jan 14, 2009 – Bosnia and Herzegovina's Ministry of Transport and Communications, Regulatory Agency for Communications and DTT Forum have released a draft strategy for the transition from analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting in the country.
News categories: Communications Regulatory Agency, DTT Forum, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Regulation, Terrestrial

Smart card chipmakers suspected of cartel
Jan 7, 2009 – European competition regulators have raided the premises of several manufacturers of chips used in 'smart cards', on suspicions of illegal cartel activity.
News categories: European Commission, CAM, Conditional Access, Europe, Regulation, Semiconductor

Commerce's NTIA Announces New Coupon Applicants Will be Placed on Waiting List Due to High Demand for TV Converter Box Coupons
Jan 5, 2009 – The NTIA has announced that consumers requesting coupons from the agency's TV Converter Box Coupon Program will be placed on a waiting list and coupons will be mailed on a first-come-first-served basis, as funds from expired coupons become available.
News categories: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, ATSC 3, Digital TV, Regulation, Set Top Box, Terrestrial, USA