Norway – NTV sole applicant for DTT licence

Norges televisjon (NTV) has applied to the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs for a licence to develop and operate a DTT platform in Norway.

In its applications, NTV guarantees the development of three multiplexes covering 95% of households. Of these, one multiplex will also provide coverage to households located in satellite shadow areas. Multiplex contain between ten and seven television programme services.

NTV proposes a development plan that will involve controlled DTT roll-out in eleven regions. Roll-out will likely in Autumn 2006 for the first region. Analogue switch-off in the last region will be possible by the end of 2008.

The DTT platform will use the MPEG-4 video compression standard so as to allow for the eventual transition to HDTV.

NTV will aim to offer its audience Norwegian language services and the most popular international services. Local television services will also be available. Both pay and free-to-air services will be offered to viewers.

Norsk rikskringkasting AS, TV 2 Gruppen AS and Telenor Broadcast Holding AS each own one third of NTV. NTV and its owners have the ability and will to commit themselves to a long-term investment in the digital terrestrial network in Norway.
Source: Digitag
Item added: 4th October 2005