The Romanian regulator ANCOM has completed the tender documents for the granting of five DTT multiplexes. In a statement, it says that bidding will start following the publication of the documents in the Official Gazette.
ANCOM adds that the five multiplexes, four of which will be UHF and one VHF, will be auctioned through a competitive, with the minimum licence fee for each set at €300,000.
According to Catalin Marinescu, the president of ANCOM, after the start of the auction interested parties will have six weeks to submit their applications. If demand is greater than supply, bidding rounds will begin within a month of receipt of tenders, with the whole process being concluded early this year.
The procedure will require each bidder to submit an initial bid by indicating the number of multiplexes they wish to purchase. If demand exceeds the number of available multiplexes then the primary auction rounds will be repeated until this is no longer the case.
The winner of the first (UHF) multiplex MUX1 will have to offer FTA service currently distributed in analogue. They will also have to provide fixed reception to 90% of the population and cover 80% of Romanian territory by December 31, 2016.
The operators of the four other multiplexes will be required to operate at least 38 transmitters for each of them by May 1, 2017.
All licences will be awarded for a period of 10 years, coming into effect on June 17, 2015. Winners will have to pay the licence fee within 90 days of the results being announced.
Candidates will, be required to meet certain criteria, among them an average turnover of €2 million in the last three years or in the period since their establishment as Romanian or foreign companies.
