PRESS
RELEASE
Odense, Denmark 5th November 1997
Steps taken toward
a pan-Nordic standard for digital
television distribution
Plan adopted 5th November in Odense by a meeting of the CEOs of
national television broadcasters and television distributors in
the Nordic countries
The terrestrially distributed television companies in the Nordic
countries and the chief distributors of television signals via cable,
satellite and terrestrial transmission networks have reached agreement
on a plan leading toward the establishment of common technical specifications
and principles for digital distribution of television signals. An
organization for continued cooperation has been set up. The agreement
is a milestone in Nordic cooperation in the area and a token of
a common will to exploit the potentialities of digital technology
together. The cooperation may also give viewers in any one of the
Nordic country more ready access to channels originating in the
other countries.
The starting point for this undertaking is consumers' need for
as simple as possible a conversion from analogue to digital television
reception, as well as the greatest possible freedom of choice between
programmes, services and distribution systems. A market consisting
of multiple closed systems is to be avoided.
The broadcasters should be able to establish direct contact with
their audiences, as desired. The period in which analogue and digital
signals are transmitted parallel should be kept to a minimum. The
national channels of the Nordic countries should be accessible throughout
the region, if the originating broadcasting company so wishes.
The adoption of a uniform technical standard for the systems on
the Nordic market creates a broad infrastructure, which will be
highly advantageous for the development of digital television transmission
services.
Different systems for digital television via cable and satellite
are currently being launched by some operators on the Nordic market.
At the same time, several Nordic television broadcasters and tele-distributors
are participating in a European project with the objective of arriving
at general specifications for terrestrial digital television. The
work of the Nordic cooperative organization aims to define common
technical specifications for the receivers which will be introduced
ontothe Nordic market. This standardization takes place within the
framework of decisions taken on digital television in broader international
fora.
The goal is for viewers to be able to use the same kind of hardware
to receive the channels and services transmitted digitally in the
Nordic countries, and for these receivers to be equipped for reception
via several different distribution modes, e.g., satellite and terrestrial
transmissions, or terrestrial transmissions and cable/telecom-distributed
signals (ADSL).
The price of such receiver apparatus shall be competitive relative
to other receivers having the same capabilities which may be available
on the European market.
The work ahead will focus on specifying requirements for a receiver
with, for example, Common Interface; agreement on a conditional
access system (CA); and formalization of cooperation between the
different CA-systems operators so as to assure transparency of the
market. In addition, agreement should be reached as to the choice
of applications software (API) to be used in the Nordic countries.
The ambition is to reach decisions on CA and API during the course
of 1998. The work on API will be carried out in the light of progress
toward an international standard.
Hardware manufacturers will be asked to assess specifications and
to offer judgments as to when the receivers desired might be expected
to reach the market. Agreement on the specifications to be submitted
to manufacturers should, according to the plan, be reached in early
1998, with an eye to production getting under way in late 1998/early
1999. The work of the organization does not include placing orders
of receiver apparatus for the Nordic market.
The cooperative organization as constituted 5th November comprises
from Denmark, Danmarks Radio (DR), TV 2/DANMARK, Tele Danmark; from
Finland, Yleisradio (YLE), MTV3, Telecom Finland; from Iceland,
Rikisutvarpi? (RUV); from Norway, Norsk Rikskringkasting (NRK),
TV 2 Norge, Telenor; and from Sweden, Sveriges Television (SVT),
TV4 Sverige, Telia, Teracom. The organization is chaired by Gregers
Mogensen, Tele Danmark. The organization is open to all major television
companies and distributors who subscribe to its stated objectives.
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For further information: Gregers Mogensen, Tele Danmark, Chairman,
+45 33 43 77 30; Jan-Olof Gurinder, SVT, +46 8 784 80 63; Johan
Thorud, NRK, +47 23 04 54 47; Anders Kronborg, DR, +45 35 20 40
14, Olle Mossberg, TV4 AB +46 8 459 47 01; John-Inge Bratteveit,
TV 2 Norge, +47 22 31 47 04; Peter Parbo, TV 2/DANMARK, +45 65 91
12 44; Ismo Silvo, YLE, +358 9 1480 5090; Andero Hoffman, MTV3,
+358 9 150 0855; Bogi Agústsson, RUV, +354 515 3700; Per
Mellberg, Teracom, +46 8 671 20 40; Hans Larsson, Telia, +46 8 448
85 01; Hasse Iwarsson, Telenor Plus, +47 23 13 80 16; Aimo Eloholma,
Telecom Finland, +358 2040 2014; Jon Th. Jonsson, Postur og Simi,
+354 550 6251.
TV 2/DANMARK, Information
Translation from the Danish, SVT Info, November 1997
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