For a long time, terrestrial hertzian waves were the only means of broadcasting radio and television.
Subsequently, technological advances brought with them other modes of broadcasting, such as cable, which allowed the distribution of various services, and satellite, which allowed direct broadcasting to private recipients. Each of these modes of transmission is marked by specific legal characteristics that arise from its very nature.
The most recent technical change or advancement is digital broadcasting, which complements the older methods of television and radio broadcasting, but at the same time replaces the standard of analog broadcasting.
This fact represents a true revolution in the way we consume audiovisual media.
Since hertz space is a scarce resource, the potential for its use being increasingly depleted, the main objective of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) is to free up space in the radio frequency spectrum and the consequent multiplication of broadcast channels, overcoming the limitations posed by analogue broadcasting and thus generating a surplus of spectrum known as frequency sub-bands or "digital dividend".
There are different systems or platforms used for the implementation of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), namely: ATSC (Advanced Television System Committee) used by the United States of America, Canada, Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and soon by the Dominican Republic; ISDBT (Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting) used in Japan; ISDBT-tb, a variant of the Japanese system used in Brazil, and most of the Latin American countries, such as Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Venezuela, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Bolivia, Nicaragua,
Guatemala. We can also highlight DTMB (Digital Terrestrial Multimedia Broadcasting) used in the People's Republic of China; DVB-T (Digital Video Broadcasting – Terrestrial) used throughout Europe, in Australia, in some African countries such as South Africa and Namibia; and in Latin America only in Colombia and Panama.
Thanks to the multiplexing mechanism of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), six television channels or programs can be broadcast simultaneously on the frequency previously used by a single television channel; this is known as a "multi-channel" broadcast.
digital"; or ";multiplex";.
Furthermore, Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) provides higher-quality image and sound reception, as well as a broader range of services for all users within its coverage area.
The implementation of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) represents a technical evolution in television broadcasting in our country. It seeks to promote greater market participation by public telecommunications service providers, which could translate into improved offerings for users in terms of technology, quality, cost, and variety.
Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) allows reducing spectrum occupation
radioelectric thanks to the use of more efficient modulations, obtaining better image and sound quality, providing interactivity to audiovisual communication between the user and the service operator ("Video On Demand", "pay per view", among other transactions).
Likewise, Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) would reduce broadcasters' energy consumption, since the transmitters used for DTT require less power to transmit signals. It would also reduce operating costs for broadcasting and transmission, once the adaptation costs have been amortized.
The goal is therefore to maximize the use of the radio spectrum, creating opportunities for broader competition not only for audiovisual communication service operators, but also for telephone and internet service providers.
This mission, to launch the establishment of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), is reserved to the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL), the body empowered to manage the radio spectrum, as well as to plan the Hertzian spectrum bands for radio stations and the allocation of broadcast channels to Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) operators.
It is in this sense that the telecommunications regulatory body in our country, the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (INDOTEL), decided to consider the need to evolve towards the digital terrestrial broadcasting model on January 12, 2006, approving Resolution No. 003-06, by which the Interinstitutional Committee for the Transition from Analog to Digital Radio and Television in the Dominican Republic was created.
Later, on August 2, 2010, the Board of Directors of the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (INDOTEL), pursuant to Resolution No. 102-10, approved the conclusions contained in the technical report prepared in order to recommend the adoption of the digital television standard in our country, as part of the transition process from analog television broadcasting to digital broadcasting.
Thus, on August 9, 2010, through Decree No. 407-10, the establishment of the North American ATSC (Advanced Television System Committee) model was ordered as the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) standard to be implemented in the Dominican Republic, establishing the date for the "blackout" to occur.
” (“switch off”) on September 1, 2015, that is, in 2 years and 9 months.
In order to take the first steps towards the implementation of this new television broadcasting model, the Board of Directors of the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL) issued Resolution No. 145-12 dated November 8, 2012, by which it appointed the internal commission that will work on the implementation process of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) in the Dominican Republic. With the digital broadcasting mechanism, the radio-electric source allows the broadcast of a greater number of programs than those broadcast by analog means, allowing the digitalization of signals, the broadcast of 6 different programs in the same band of
frequency -maximum possible dividends of the same band-, in addition to the
cohabitation of several telecommunications services on the same frequency.
Thus, three situations arise that generate distinct frequency allocation and authorization regimes, namely: 1. Authorization for public communication service operators; 2. Authorization for existing private operators; and 3. Authorization for new service operators.
The first group is made up of public service operators of
communication, for whom the law must guarantee a right of priority or privilege of
allocation of new frequency sub-bands, to the extent that these entities carry out a service mission of general utility, that is, television channels that are limited to cultural broadcasting (theater, cinema, music, shows), history, news, sports, as well as channels intended for children and youth, whose reception would be free for Dominicans.
The second group is made up of communication service operators
audiovisual operators that already have an authorization to operate their frequency in analog mode; this authorization for digital broadcasting would then be similar to the initial authorization, constituting an extension of it in legal terms. Private operators could also develop the thematic channel business.
within the aforementioned broadcast genres, to be received by users under the condition of subscription to said service.
The third group includes new operators (this category also includes operators of services other than television or radio), who must undergo a special bidding process based on the service category, whether local or national.
The Dominican Telecommunications Institute (INDOTEL) is responsible, on the one hand, for ensuring an effective transition from the analog to the digital model, integrating both audiovisual communication service operators and the entire Dominican population; and, on the other hand, for regulating the procedures and requirements for authorizations under the new Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) model.
We understand that, from a technical perspective, the establishment of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) should deploy a multitude of channels that we hope will benefit the dissemination of audiovisual services. The freed-up spectrum can be used by telecommunications service operators in general, even paving the way for the participation of new public and private players.
Similarly, it is worth noting that the implementation of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) in our country will result in a change in the economic model of audiovisual media production, which will require financial support from advertisers to ensure its sustainability over time.
The above presents a challenge for program producers and editors.
audiovisual media to the extent that the multiplication of dissemination channels will not necessarily entail the multiplication of private and public investment.
Furthermore, we must consider the need to establish a Higher Audiovisual Council, which would be responsible for granting authorizations for the use of the radio spectrum to audiovisual communication service operators, taking into account not only technical and economic criteria, but also criteria associated with the quality of the content broadcast.
In short, the deployment of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) must create the conditions for the establishment of a technologically effective system that reaches all Dominican homes, increases the likelihood of free competition in the market, guarantees greater quality of the content broadcast, as well as greater
diversity and information pluralism.
Recommendations:
Without this list being exhaustive, it is recommended:
a. Provide uniqueness to the language used to identify Digital Television
Terrestrial (DTT).
b. Create the Technical Plan for the establishment of Digital Terrestrial Television
(TDT) in the Dominican Republic, determining, among other things, the coverage
gradual thereof.
c. Design the National Plan for the Transition to Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT).
d. Design the technical and application regulations for Digital Terrestrial Television
(TDT) to provide, among other things, the following:
- Specify the conditions for authorization to use the Hertzian spectrum
necessary for the broadcast of any digital terrestrial television service.
- Authorize audiovisual communication service operators the right to use a second frequency in digital mode under the conditions established by the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (INDOTEL).
- Create a sort of anti-concentration device aimed at regulating the issue of the limit of authorizations per determined geographical area, in order to avoid abuses of dominant position by some operators in the market of the
telecommunications.
- Ensure the continuity of television service reception to prevent the analog shutdown from leaving users without service. It is advisable to replicate broadcasts through the digital dividend.
- Establish a deadline for all televisions sold in the country
They must be equipped with an adapter or decoder that allows reception of the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) service, both for the set of free programs in high definition and for those in standard definition.
e. Launch a national communication campaign to ensure that users are informed about the consequences of the discontinuation of the broadcasting of the audiovisual communication service in analogue mode and of the
Deployment of the modern audiovisual broadcasting platform of Television
Digital Terrestrial (DTT).
f. Publish a list of the frequency bands available in each area
geographic location of the country for the television and radio service broadcast via
terrestrial Hertzian.
g. Call for public tender or competition for the exploitation of the spectrum
radioelectric by companies (legal entities).
h. Set a limit on the allocation of new frequencies for operators of
public audiovisual communication services, so that the rest of the
frequency sub-bands are available to be assigned to
private operators.