NHH and Antenna Hungária sign contract

On the 5th September 2008 Hungary’s National Communications Authority (NHH) officially signed the contract awarding Antenna Hungária (AH) the digital-terrestrial TV and digital-radio transmission rights in Hungary.
Antenna Hungária has been granted a licence to operate 5 DTT multiplexes and 1 radio multiplex, both for 12 years. AH will start DAB radio broadcasts and DTT broadcasts on mux.A, mux.B (mobile TV) and mux.C before the end of the year. Broadcasts on mux.D and mux.E will start after the switch off of analogue broadcasting in 2011.
Once completed transmissions from both the DAB and DTT platforms will reach 94% and 96% of the population respectively.
Initially the DTT platform will cover 60% of the population at switch on in 2008 and will operate from three sites, Budapest, Szentes and Kabhegy.
In 2009 another 8 transmitting sites will be added increasing the coverage to 88% and then further transmitters to bring the coverage to 95% by the end of 2010.
As expected DVB-H services will also be started in and around Budapest in 2008 with population coverage of 16%. By the end of 2009 services will be available in 7 larger cities and the area of lake Balaton increasing the coverage to 30% and then to 50% of the population by the end of 2012.
Source: Antenna Hungária press release
Item added: 9th September 2008