RTL pulls FTA channels off terrestrial TV
MassiveDynamics
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I have not seen this mentioned elsewhere, I came across this story regarding Germany's RTL
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/01/21/rtl_dtt/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/01/21/rtl_dtt/
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We can only go so far to squeeze DTT into as small a frequency range as possible to accommodate the far richer mobile phone companies who'll happily cough up the billions for the spectrum, something DTT licence holders, particularly the BBC, cannot anywhere near compete with.
Wait until 5G comes down the line.
The question is, will Freeview be popular enough to fight back the hunger for bandwidth that the mobile phone companies will want and are more than happy to pay handsome amounts for? In Germany with 5% take-up, it'll be a no-brainer for them. With our finances and Government who don't say no to money, will it be in the UK?
My main concern is for those whom cable and broadband (in rural areas) makes those delivery methods for TV unviable. They'll have to rely on satellite and I hope BSkyB don't take advantage of that situation.
If freesat wants part of it, it needs agreesive marketing, at moment it seems to have none at all!
Interesting, though we are nowhere near that situation in the UK (yet) as " the terrestrial system accounts for less than 5 per cent of RTL's viewers"
Also, there's no room for HD on terrestrial in Germany, apparently - and I think widespread genuinly free to air satellite TV was developed there a long time before in the UK (ordinary folks i.e. non-satellite enthusiasts) had to have a Sky or VM box until Freesat came along).
It's a very different situation over there.
Whilst DTT in the UK and particular the Freeview platform is more popular than DTT in Germany, it's still no cast iron guarantee that DTT will remain in the UK if the mobile phone companies can vastly financially outdo the DTT licencees for the same spectrum. With a deficit and need to maximise income for the treasury and Government, it could be a no-brainer.
I did say "yet". At least another decade I reckon before we get near that situation, and the economy may be very different by then. The growth of internet delivery of TV will help to bring that day forward, of course.
21% are an digital Cable 28% on ANALOGUE cable
35%DSAT 3% analogue sat
6% DTT
4% IPTV
As in 2011 see OFCOM http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/cmr/cmr12/icmr/ICMR_Section_3.pdf Page 154
UK was 15% Dcable/ 44% DSAT/ 38% DTT/ 3%other... for First TV
By the time there's no air space left, we'll have moved on to IPTV.
That'll work really well for those with no fixed line or on holiday with their touring caravan.:mad:
Plus will they have given the whole country fibre broadband ? Or just said if you can't receive tough get Freesat or Sky.
No analogue sat in Germany anymore so figures out of date. However DSAT is still strong and free in Germany