Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Office (FAS) has blocked a DTT tender organised by the Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network (RTRS).
Vedomosti reports that this follows complaints about the tender, the results of which were announced on June 11, directed at the Italian companies System Engineering Solutions and Screen Service Broadcasting Technologies, working with the Russian firms NTC (Kosmos) and SFK Sistema’s daughter company RTI.
RTRS apparently committed irregularities in the evaluation, comparison and selection of the winner – a company named TD Communications Engineering – though the FAS did not provide any details.
The tender was announced in early May and was for the construction, delivery and placing into operation of 4,956 transmitters that will distribute the second multiplex.
This will carry 10 channels, including Ren TV, CTC, Domashny, Sport and Muz TV.
Although TD Communications Engineering placed the highest bid (R14.58 billion – €339.5 million), the result was not based solely on this and took into account such factors as experience and the range of services that the winner could offer.
It is at this stage unclear as to how long this annulment will hold back the launch of the second multiplex and Russia’s transition to digital broadcasting.