Analogue Switch Off progresses
The ASO continues in Austria with another 11 regions switching off analogue TV transmissions and going completely digital. The regions are around Dalaas, Gaschurn, Lech and Raggal/Kreuzbühel
Licences to operate regional DTT platforms are also expected to be issued by Komm Austria for operation on MUX C.
Broadband TV News reports that according to the local press the regulator plans to issue the following licences; Vienna/Lower Austria/Burgenland to cable operator N1 from Vienna/Neudorf; in East Steiermark, to the cable operator Weststeirische Kabel-TV; for northern Upper Austria to LT1; for Innviertel/Wels to RTV; and for Tirolean Oberland to the Stadtwerke Imst.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 17th September 2008


Second phase of DVB-H roll-out
Mobile TV now reaches 50% of Austrians, according to Austrian transmitter company Media Broadcast after the launch of the second phase of the DVB-H roll-out.
The increase in coverage was achieved when transmitters in the regions of Bregenz, Eisenstadt, Graz, Linz and St. Pölten were switched on recently.
There are now 15 TV channels available for reception on DVB-H enabled mobile phones. The channels are ORF1, ORF2, ATV, Puls4, Pro7 Austria, RTL, Sat.1 Austria, VOX, RTL2, N24 and Super RTL, along with the radio stations Ö3, Ö1, FM4 and KroneHit.
The three mobile operators in the country Mobilkom Austria, 3G Austria and One all offer Mobile TV subscriptions and have said that they are pleased with recent results which show a healthy consumer interest in Mobile TV.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 11^th August 2008

Switchover continues
On March 31st, ORS will switch on 10 new DTT transmitters in the regions of Oberösterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Niederösterreich and Tirol. Analogue transmissions will be switched off on May 5, 2008.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 1st April 2008



Media Broadcast to build DVB-H network
Germany-based broadcasting network operator Media Broadcast (formerly T-Systems Media Broadcast) has won the tender for a multiplex licence to set up an Austrian wide DVB-H network.
Media Broadcast plans to launch mobile TV services on the 1st June this year in the cities of Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Salzburg and Vienna where the European Football Championships matches are to be played.
DVB-H services will also be launched at the same time in other state capitals giving a total Austrian mobile TV penetration of 40%. This will increase to 55% coverage by the end of the year.
Media Broadcast are planning to offer 15 mobile TV channels (Austrian and international) and 4 Austrian mobile radio channels on the DVB-H service to mobile phones.
Austrian media minister Doris Bures said that she was happy with the KommAustra decision to award the licence and that she expects much from the launch of mobile TV service before the start of the European Football Championships in June of this year.
Source: Telecom Paper
Item added: 4th March 2008


Dispute over DTT costs
According to local newspaper reports, the Austrian national private broadcaster ATV and facilities company ORS are fighting over the costs of DTT transmissions. The report goes on to say that ATV has not paid any money to ORS for its service since going on air in October 2006. The broadcaster argues that the costs believed to be around €4 million/year are too high and technical reach insufficient.DTT services have been available since October 2006.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 4th March 2008


DTT receivers top 400,000
Digital terrestrial television is a success in Austria, with 400,000 receivers in the market at the end of last year, reports Broadband TV News.
”DTT has turned into a competing platform,” according to Michael Wagenhofer, MD of Digitales Fernsehen Förder, GmbH, the company responsible for the switch-over. “About 70% of these people can also receive three additional channels.” The figure applies to dedicated set-top boxes only and not to integrated digital TV sets, USB sticks or portable DTT devices.
About one third of all STBs sold are capable of receiving MHP.
Digital switchover is in full swing, with more regions becoming all-digital.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 26th February 2008

DVB-H trial ends and some are disqualified from tendering
The regulatory body RTR ended the DVB-H trial run by ORS and Mobikom Austria, the mobile business unit of Telekom Austria, on the 4th February 2008. The trial, in the Vienna area, has been in operation for almost a year with almost 1000 people participating.
According to some media reports the regulator has now disqualified Telekom Austria and ORS from participating in the tender for the DVB-H network operator licence “due to issues with the proposed programme operator”. The reports goes on to say that in the case of Telekom Austria the designation of its mobile phone division Mobilkom Austria, as its programme operator is contrary to the terms of the licence, whilst the Network operator ORS failed to list a programme operator.
Media Broadcast and Mobile TV Infrastruktur are the remaining two still able to tender.
Sources: Broadband TV News and CabSat Daily
Item added: 5th February 2008.

Austrian analogue switch off continues
The regions of Kärnten, Niederösterreich and Tirol will complete digital switchover on February 4th 2008 enabling new national and regional DTT services to be launched.
Local broadcasters L1TV (Linz) and TV Bd Ischl are already on air, to be followed by a station in Sankt Pölten this spring.
Analogue switch-off is expected to be completed by 2010.
Mains source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 22nd January 2008



Huge interest in third Austrian DTT multiplex
Broadband TV News reports that the Austrian broadcast authority undfunkregulierungsstelle RTR has said that it is pleasantly surprised by the huge interest shown in Austria’s third DTT multiplex. Twenty-nine local and regional broadcasters have applied for licences. Most of the applicants are small city broadcasters whose programmes are only available on cable systems but three applicants already have analogue terrestrial licences.
Source: Broadband TV News

ORS prepares for DVB-H licence bid
Broadcast network operator ORS is inviting interested parties to attend a roundtable discussion on the introduction of DVB-H services.
ORS already holds the licence for the DTT platform and would like to offer 15 DVB-H television programmes on the proposed mobile platform, on multiplex D.
ORS want to team up with other interested parties and offer a combined bid for the mobile licence before the application date closes on 14th December 2007.
Network operator Mobilkom is also expected to make an application.
The successful bidder will be expected to launch services, which must include programmes from ORF and ATV, by June 2008.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 30th October 2007

Austria open for DVB-H applications
Doris Bures, minister for media, announced on the 14th September that applications for DVB-H licences could now begin, according to Broadband TV News.
She went on to say “We are on schedule on the road to introduce this technical innovation right in time for the start of the European Cup finals.”
Some broadcaster are not happy with the eight weeks given before the application process closes, saying that it is not long enough and have applied for an extension.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 18th September 2007


Six channels for Austria’s second Multiplex
Six channels in Austria’s second digital terrestrial multiplex have been named. The multiplex, which is expected to begin broadcasting in October, will comprise culture channel 3sat, Sport Plus, German broadcasters Pro7 and Sat.1, Euronews and the Austrian commercial channel ATV.
Puls TV, the Austrian channel recently acquired by the ProSiebenSat.1 group might also be included in the future. A further candidate for inclusion is the independent broadcaster Okto.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 16th July 2007



Austria opens up DVB-H to new entrants
The Austrian Government has eased the introduction of DVB-H by legislation limiting the channels available to public service broadcaster ORF and opening up the market to other users.
The law, which comes in to effect on 1st August, splits the DVB-H multiplex in to two sections. The first section will feature the current terrestrial channels ORF1, ORF2 and ATV as well as other broadcasters and will be available on a subscription basis.
The second section will be made available as a “premium bouquet” with fifteen channels being offered initially, increasing to 30 later.
The new services will be on the air in time for the Euro 2008 football championships, which are being held in both Austria and Switzerland.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 31^st May 2007

Second DTT multiplex attracts 32 applicants
Thirty-two applications were received for Austria’s second DTT multiplex due to launch in October. Sixteen of the applications were for TV channels and 16 for radio stations although TV takes priority due to the lack of spectrum space.
ORF are pleased at the number of applications and expect to complete negotiations with successful broadcasters before mid-June.
A third multiplex mainly reserved for regional broadcasters will be opened for applications later this year.
DTT coverage is expected to be 80% of all households by the end of 2007 and analogue switch off is planned for 2009.
By the end of March 150,000 DTT receivers had been sold of which 60,000 where MHP enabled.
Source: Broadband TV news
Item added: 24th April 2007


Tyrol next for analogue switch off
On the 7th May 2007 the Tyrol will switch off its TV analogue service and on the 4th June upper Austria and the Salzburg region will follow. The remaining regional capitals will also switch of analogue services in the autumn.
The Austrian DTT service began in October 2006 and now covers 70% of the population.
Source: Der Standard
Item added: 2nd April 2007


ORF extends DVB-H trial programme service
The public broadcaster ORF has launched a dedicated television programme service as part of the current DVB-H trial. This trial conducted by Mobilkom Austria and 3 includes 1,000 participants.
The new service, ORFmobile, provides viewers with access to short video clips including news, sports, weather and music. It is specially designed for mobile television users.
Commercial DVB-H services could be available in Austria by Summer 2008.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 13th March 2007



Analogue switch off ready to begin
Analogue switch off is ready to begin in Bregenz and the surrounding area. At eight o'clock on Monday, 5th March 2007 the analogue transmitters will be switched of, in this the first area to go digital only, in Austria.
ORF 1, ORF 2 and ATV have been available on the new digital platform since October 2006 and Michael Wagenhofer, managing director of the organisation responsible for the promotion of digital television in Austria said that he was convinced that the conversion to digital will succeed based on the feedback from users and other market information.
Source: Der Standard
Item added: 5th March 2007



DVB-H trial extended to Kitzbühel  
The DVB-H pilot trial headed by telecom operator Mobilkom Austria and its partners public broadcaster ORF, Salzburg University, Siemens, H3G and network operator ORS was extended to Kitzbühel during the recent Ski Challenge 07 tournament.
Users in Kitzbühel were able to access Hit Radio Ö3, ORF1 and ORF2.
The trial group have been working on the DVB-H pilot project in Salzburg since May 2006. Tests began in September 2006 and should be concluded by mid-2007.
Source: mobilkom austria
Item added: 6th February 2007

Analogue switch off plan delayed
The timetable for analogue switch-off in the regional capitals has been delayed. The process expected to begin in early March, is now expected to begin in April. The result of this is that the switch-off of analogue terrestrial services in the regional capitals will be completed by early autumn instead of June as originally planned.
This change to the switch off date will affect the planned launch of Austria’s second multiplex, which is now expected to start by the end of 2007, rather than the summer of 2007 as previously announced.
Candidates for the new multiplex include regional services, TW1 and Pulse TV.
Over 45,000 set-top boxes have been sold since the launch of DTT services in October 2006.
Source: Digitag attributed to “Der Standard”
Item added: 30th January 2007

Results since the DTT launch in October 2006
It is estimated that 100,000 DVB-T receivers have been sold since the launch of DTT services, last October. Around 35,000 of these were MHP-enabled receivers purchased using a subsidy offered by the government. DTT services are now available to 70% of the population and coverage will be extended to 90% by the end of 2008 and 95% by 2010.
Analogue switch-off will take place in regional capitals from March-June 2007 according to the following timetable:
5 March: Bregenz Pfänder and Innsbruck
19 March: Kärnten and Salzburg
23 April: Graz
7 May: Linz
11 June: Vienna and Pölten
Source: Computerwelt
Item added: 16th January 2007

The Hills are Alive with Digital
Karl Fischer, Technical Director of Austrian Broadcast Services gives an update on recent DTT progress in Austria, in the latest DVB Scene magazine.
To download a free copy, click on this link: DVB Scene 20
Item added: 5th December 2006

Austria launches Digital Terrestrial TV using DVB-T
Austria chose its National Day (26th October 2006), which commemorates the end of foreign occupation (in 1955), to finally launch its Digital Terrestrial Television network.
Over 70% of the population in Vienna and the federal states were covered by DTT signals from public channels, ORF1, ORF2 and the commercial channel ATV, on the day of the launch. 
Analogue switch off in these areas is planned for February 2007.
Coverage will be progressively extended in Austria, reaching 90% of the population in 2007-2008 and 95% by the end of 2010.
Source: Krone.at
Item added: 26th October 2006 (amended 5th December 2006)

DTT launch date announced
As we previously reported the original September launch date for DTT in Austria was postponed so that it would be after the Parliamentary elections on the 1st October. The new date for the DTT launch has now been set as the 26th October. This later start date does not effect the previously announced dates for the launch of new DTT services or the analogue switch off in 2010.
Main source: DVB-T Austria website
Item added: 7th August 2006

Digital Terrestrial platform will use MHP from the start
In autumn 2006 Austria starts its DVB-T service with 70% coverage. As an integral feature of this new TV-platform TV broadcasters ORF and ATV, will provide their new “MHP Multitext”, a state of the art version of Infotext (Teletext), a service already familiar to Austrian TV consumers. This MHP Multitext will be based on MHP 1.1.2.
The Austrian regulatory authority RTR has also announced that subsidies will be provided for MHP Set Top boxes (MHP-STB) under the following conditions:

Early adopters: The first 100,000 buyers of a certified MHP-STB will be able to cash a 40 Euro voucher, sent to all those TV- households that have registered.
In addition around 330,000 low-income households will also be able to request a 40 Euro voucher for the purchase of an MHP-STB.

At the start of the DTT platform in Austria only six programmes will be broadcast and the subsidy is being provided to kick start the service by helping consumers to see the added benefits available from Multitext and DTT. Later when the analogue services have been switched off the DTT service will be extended in both channel choice and services.
Source: RTR press release
Item added: 11th July 2006

Public Information DTT Roadshow starts in September
A Public Information Roadshow will begin in September as the first DTT services are launched in Austria. The Chamber of commerce together with specialist dealers will provide a country wide information campaign on the new Terrestrial Digital Television service.
The Digital switch over process is set to begin during the spring of 2007 and will be completed by 2010. As reported previously 90% of the population should be able to receive DTT transmissions by 2008.
ORF1, ORF2 and ATV plus programmes as well as interactive services using MHP will be available.
Source: Aon.at
Item added: 23rd May 2006

DTT Licence awarded to ORS
The Austrian government has awarded broadcast network operator ORS a licence to launch DTT services in Austria.

DTT services are expected to be launched in Autumn 2006.
Viewers will be able to receive three television programme services, ORF1, ORF2 and commercial service ATV+. In addition, a second regional version of ORF2 will also be made available to viewers. These services will be operated from MUX A.
By 1 March 2007; MUX A must reach 60% of households and increase its population coverage to 90% by March 2009. A second multiplex, MUX B, is also likely to be launched. It is required to have a population coverage of at least 60% by the beginning of 2008 and provide access to a minimum of three television programme services.
ORS plans to use 11 DVB-T transmitters for the launch of MUX A this autumn and reach 70% of the population. A further 5 transmitters are to be put into service in February 2007 increasing the population coverage to 77%.

An extra 51 transmitters will be added to increase the coverage to 91% of the population by the end of 2008 at the latest.
It is expected that analogue switch-off will be in 2010.
Source: Digitag and   Heise online
Item added: 27th February 2006


HDTV not a priority
The technical director of the ORF, Andreas Gall, declared in an interview that HDTV will not be a priority for the public service broadcaster ORF. He did acknowledge that HDTV will become increasingly popular in the next 10-15 years.

Gall noted that the biggest issue for the roll-out of HDTV services is the lack of a clear business model. At this stage, only manufacturers are able to profit from the move towards HDTV. ORF produces several HDTV programmes each year, including the New Year concert.
Source: Digitag
Item added: 11th October 2005



DTT launch in October 2006
Public broadcaster ORF is ready to launch DTT services in October 2006.
It will provide services to 70% of the population initially.
The second and third launch phases are planned  to reach 77% of the population by February 2007 and 91% of the population by the end of 2008. In December 2010, the population coverage should reach 95% with 349 transmitters.

ORF will offer ORF 1, ORF 2 and ATV+ as well as interactive services on its multiplex. Following analogue switch-off, a second multiplex may be launched.

Analogue switch-off is likely to begin in 2007 following a 6 month simulcast of analogue and digital terrestrial services.

ORF has applied for the licence for a DTT multiplex offered by the government. Under government regulations, the DTT multiplex licence holder must offer services to at least 60% of the population within the first year of receiving the licence.

In terms of television reception, 14% of households rely on the terrestrial platform.
Initial source: DigiTAG
Source: DerStandard


Previous

Applications open for Multiplex operators in Austria
KommAustria has opened its application process for a licence to operate the first Austrian multiplex. All applications must be in by September 1^st 2005.
The successful applicant will be responsible for all aspects of the digital process from assembling the multiplex, signal distribution and its transmission.

The Austrian plan for digital introduction is in five stages.
Stage 1: Preparatory phase (end of 2005)
Test operation in Graz, frequency planning, multiplex advertising process.
Stage 2: Staring period 2006
Country wide structure to cover major cities (middle of 2006)
Edition: 60% Coverage one year after licence assignment
Stage 3: Transfer phase (2007 to 2010)
Region by region transfer from analogue to digital when 90% of the population can receive DTT as well as 25% able to receive DTT indoors.
Stage 4: Analogue turn off (starting from 2010)
During the switch off phase additional space will be available for an additional 5 to 6 multiplexes which will then be offered for new multiplex operator applications.
Source: KommAustria
Item added: 23rd May 2005

!TV4 GRAZ
March 2004 witnessed the introduction of digital terrestrial TV in Austria. Within the framework of the !ITVGRAZ project, 150 households in Austria's second largest city were equipped with MHP set-top boxes in order to test audience acceptance of added value applications based on the MHP standard.
Under the auspices of the RTR(Austria's regulatory body), an SFN network was built in Graz to supply its citizens with digital terrestrial TV. This was the first step in line with Austrian planning which states that all terrestrial broadcasts must be digital by 2010.
In a complete article published in the DVB scene, Wolfgang Rittsteiger and Rudolf North from the Siemens project team give much more detail of the 1TV4 GRAZ project. See the complete article in Issue 14 of DVB Scene.

Item added: 17th May 2005

Background

First DTT trial in Austria begins (see above)
In Graz, Austria's second largest city, a digital terrestrial television trial began in April 2004. 150 households were involved in the initial period, which lasted until the end of July. Four programmes were distributed in one multiplex: ORF 1, ORF 2 (public broadcaster), ATV+ (commercial) and a special interactive channel with MHP-based interactive services from ORF and various commercial TV stations in Austria. This interactive channel, called !TV4Graz, was on air in the months of June and July.

The trial was extended into August with the programmes of ORF1, ORF2, ATVplus and their MHP services in 80 households. The scope is, to find out, in what extend, interactivity can be seen as a driver for the market success of DTT. In this trial the DTT infrastructure is operated by ORF, the Austrian public service broadcaster, whilst the Interactive Application Centre is operated by SIEMENS Austria. RTR, the Austrian Regulatory Authority for Broadcasting and Telecommunications runs the project management and the market research which is conducted by Fessel+GfK.

In the first half of 2005 there will be a contest for the license for operating the first commercial MUX-platform in Austria. The commercial launch will probably take place in the beginning of 2006.

If you have more up to date information or corrections please send them to  dvb@dvb.org

The information provided comes from several sources and whilst DVB believe it to be correct we cannot guarantee its accuracy.

If you have more up to date information or corrections please send them to  dvb@dvb.org

Last page update: 17th September 2008, Barry Tew