Digital terrestrial television (DVB-T)

In digital terrestrial television broadcasting (DVB-T), multiple channels and additional services are bundled by a multiplex operator and transmitted using a shared frequency. As a result, the Austrian legislature decided not to apply the set of rules developed for analog television, where available frequencies are each allocated to an individual broadcaster.

In line with the specifications of the Austrian Digitization Plan, the regulatory authority now publishes invitations to tender for multiplex platforms and allocates them (along with the relevant frequencies) to the most suitable applicant. In this context, a number of requirements are imposed on the multiplex operator, mainly with regard to the selection of channels.

Broadcasters are therefore no longer selected by the authority itself; this task is now handled by the multiplex operator according to the procedure and criteria prescribed by the regulatory authority. In cases where these requirements are violated, the authority can intervene upon request or by virtue of office.

In 2005, two coverage licenses on a single multiplex platform were jointly put out to tender. The licenses (MUX A and MUX B) were allocated in February that year. MUX A supports nationwide coverage with the channels previously broadcast throughout Austria by terrestrial means (ORF 1, ORF 2 and ATV). The MUX B platform can be used to broadcast new channels, which may vary according to region.

The invitation to tender for local and regional multiplex platforms (MUX C) was launched in the fall of 2007.

For more information, please refer to the following sections of the RTR web site:

Ausschreibung von lokalen und regionalen terrestrischen Multiplex-Plattformen (MUX C)