Romania's Government wants to award six digital terrestrial television licenses, including one required to ensure 60 percent population coverage and 50 percent land coverage by March 31, 2012, according to an act drafted by the Communications Ministry.

The first multiplex licensee will be required to carry public national free-to-air TV channels, and meet certain land and population coverage targets: 60 percent of population and 50 percent of land, by March 31, 2012; 80 percent and 70 percent, respectively, by January 1, 2013; 90 percent and 80 percent, respectively, by December 31, 2014. This multiplex will run concurrently with analog terrestrial television services during the period of transition, due to end on January 1, 2013, says the draft government decision for the adoption of the Strategy on the transition to digital television.

The other five licenses will be awarded through a selection process organized by telecom regulator ANCOM, as follows: one license before January 1, 2013; three more after January 1, 2013; the last one after June 17, 2015, once analog TV broadcasting has ceased.

The multiplexes will allow the broadcasting/rebroadcasting of at least seven television stations in standard definition (SD), or a combination of SD and high definition (HD) stations, as well as multimedia services. Should regional/local multiplexes remain available following the transition, they will be licensed through an ANCOM procedure.

Mediafax