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The following is issued on behalf of the Communications Authority:
The temporary assignment to Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) of 1.5 Mbps of transmission capacity in the digital multiplex of the Multiple Frequency Network (MFN) (temporary spectrum assignment) will expire on November 30, 2015. The Communications Authority (CA) today (July 31) announced its decision to grant a four-month extension on the temporary spectrum assignment to TVB, to expire on April 1, 2016, upon the expiry of the domestic free television programme service (free TV) licence of Asia Television Limited (ATV), or on an earlier date as advised by the CA if the CA should decide that the extension of the temporary spectrum assignment is to end before April 1, 2016.
The CA also approved TVB's application to relocate its Pearl channel, currently being transmitted by TVB's share of the multiplex capacity in the MFN, to the single frequency network (SFN) multiplex it is assigned, after the expiry of the extended temporary assignment of the additional multiplex capacity as mentioned above. This approval is contingent upon TVB honouring the commitment made in the application to cease the simulcast arrangement on the Jade and HD Jade channels upon the relocation of the Pearl channel.
Following the Government's policy on the provision of digital terrestrial television services, the former Telecommunications Authority assigned in 2007 inter-alia one MFN multiplex to be shared equally between ATV and TVB for the digital simulcast of their four analogue television programme channels. In November 2013, the CA decided, as a temporary measure, to vary the capacity sharing arrangement of the MFN multiplex by withdrawing 1.5 Mbps of the transmission capacity in the MFN multiplex from ATV from November 26, 2013, to November 30, 2015, the expiry date of the free TV licences of ATV and TVB, and re-assigning such capacity to TVB for its continued broadcast of the Jade and Pearl channels in high-definition (HD) format during that period.
Subsequently, the Chief Executive in Council decided on April 1, 2015, not to renew ATV's free TV licence but to extend it to April 1, 2016, so as to comply with the statutory requirement. Having considered ATV's representations, the CA notified ATV of its decision to withdraw from ATV all the broadcasting spectrum assigned to it after the expiry of its free TV licence. The CA today decided to adopt an administrative approach to assign the broadcasting spectrum to be withdrawn from ATV on April 2, 2016, including half of a MFN multiplex, to free TV licensees for the provision of licensed services.
The CA noted that the 1.5 Mbps of transmission capacity in the MFN multiplex involved in the temporary spectrum assignment to TVB could not be put into meaningful use by any future spectrum assignee before April 2, 2016, when the capacity in the MFN multiplex currently assigned to ATV is re-assigned to that future spectrum assignee. To ensure that this transmission capacity would be put to effective use rather than lying idle between December 1, 2015, and April 1, 2016, the CA decided to approve TVB's application for a four-month extension of the temporary spectrum assignment, to expire on April 1, 2016, to dovetail with the revised expiry date of ATV's free TV licence and its spectrum assignment, or on an earlier date as advised by the CA in the event that the transmission capacity could be assigned by the CA to another free TV licensee earlier.
"The short extension of the temporary spectrum assignment is in line with the CA's statutory duty under section 32G(1) of the Telecommunications Ordinance to promote the efficient allocation and use of the radio spectrum as a public resource of Hong Kong," a spokesman for the CA said.
On TVB's application to relocate the Pearl channel, currently being transmitted by TVB's share of the multiplex capacity in the MFN, to the SFN multiplex it is assigned, the CA considered that the relocation does not involve any additional transmission capacity for assignment to TVB and would allow TVB to maintain all five programme channels in HD format after the expiry of the extended temporary spectrum assignment. Furthermore, TVB undertook in its application to cease the simulcast arrangement on the Jade and HD Jade channels upon the relocation of the Pearl channel. Accordingly, the CA approved this application to take effect from the expiry of the approved extension of the temporary spectrum assignment.
"The CA stresses that this approval is contingent upon TVB honouring its commitment to cease the simulcast arrangement on the Jade and HD Jade channels upon the relocation of the Pearl channel to the SFN multiplex. In this regard, during the public consultation exercise conducted to gauge public views on the performance of TVB in the context of its application for licence renewal, there were public criticisms about the simulcast arrangement, and TVB's undertaking to cease the arrangement would be a positive step forward to respond to viewers' concerns. The resulting increase in programming choices should be welcomed by the public," the spokesman said.
"TVB should also publicise the date of channel relocation nearer the time of implementation so that the public can re-scan for channels in their integrated digital TV sets and set-top boxes to continue to receive the Pearl channel," the spokesman added.
Ends/Friday, July 31, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:19
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