Germany - Transmitter operators chosen to provide nationwide mobile broadcast services using the DVB-H standard

Kurth: “Allocation of DVB-H frequencies another important step towards mobile television in Germany”

The President’s chamber of the Federal Network Agency has issued a decision on the allocation of frequencies for providing nationwide mobile broadcast services based on the DVB-H standard. The frequencies required for technical broadcasting operations will be given to T-Systems Media&Broadcast GmbH (TSMB) [MEDIA BROADCAST GmbH]. “The allocation of DVB-H frequencies is another important step towards mobile television in Germany”, the Agency’s President, Matthias Kurth, said in Bonn.

The tenders were evaluated – and the decision taken – on the basis of evaluation criteria that had been pre-determined by the Agency. TSMB was able to prove that it is best suited to fulfil the statutory and technical requirements of the tender terms.

Under current plans, the transmitter network for portable and mobile broadcasting applications will be established starting in Hanover in spring 2008. Mr Kurth was confident that the first commercial broadcasts could be offered at CeBIT 2008 already. The capitals of the other 15 federal states will follow by the end of 2008. Starting in 2009, the network will gradually expand to include every German city with a population of more than 150,000 inhabitants and, in each federal state, at least the four largest cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants. By 2015, the network should cover 90 per cent of the German population. This presupposes that the DVB-H service will reach the usual market penetration rate by 2013.

The President’s chamber will publish detailed explanatory notes on its decision in the Agency’s Official Gazette on 17 October 2007.