© 2010 Rapid TV News
Iñaki Ferreras ©RapidTVNews | 01-12-2008
Astra Spain is not tossing in the towel over the issue of satellite distribution of DTT signals.{modulebot:70}
Adding to the company contesting the DTT licence in the region of
Castilla y León, now it has also legally contested those of Cataluña
and Madrid.
Astra's argument is the contracts for DTT extension in these regions
don't differentiate terrestrial from satellite technology. This,
according to Astra, benefits Abertis Telecom, the country's main
terrestrial distribution operator. Abertis Telecom is also Hispasat's
main shareholder and it wants Hispasat to be the only satellite
operator distributing DTT signals for those areas without terrestrial
coverage.
In Cataluña Abertis Telecom owns 41.75% of Torre Collserola the
region's main television tower, which according to Astra limits the
objectivity of Abertis over choosing the way for DTT to cover the whole
region.
Astra says the satellite market has been liberalized since 1995 so the
Spanish government should not favour one operator over the other. Now
the market fears Astra's legal actions could prevent analogue switch
over from happening in April 2010.
Following this action Astra has sent formal letters both to Spain's
Ministry of Industry and to the Secetary of Telecommunications
denouncing this situation but according to Astra sources it has had no
answer yet from either of them.
Luis Sahún, Astra Spain's CEO, said: "This situation is marginalizing
Astra as an efficient,competitive and consumer oriented company. Spain
goes toward a monopoly situation on digital television distribution".
SES Astra's Spain penetration reaches 75% of satellite market. In the whole of Europe the operator reaches 117 million homes.
© Rapid TV News 2008
