Dutch public broadcaster NPO plans to start broadcast in HD via the nation’s DTT network as soon as 2017. NPO also wants to expand its HbbTV services.
Dutch telecom authority Agentschap Telecom has automatically renewed NPO’s DTT licence and Hen Haagoort, chairman op the broadcaster, repeated his commitment to launch terrestrial HD broadcasts early next year, using DVB-T2.
However, the pubcaster might run into problems with such an early start, since it has to coordinate with KPN, who holds the licence of the remaining DTT capacity for its Digitenne pay platform.
Just last week, Agentschap Telecom issued a new licence to KPN for its Digitenne DTT service, which will run till February 1, 2030. The new licence stipulates that the winning bidder will have to roll out a DVB-T2 service, but KPN has until 2020 to switch over from the current DVB-T standa
Since KPN Digitenne customers rent the DVB-T receiver from the operator, KPN has to replace its entire receiver universe before it can switch over to DVB-T2.
Haagoort also announced during this year’s Mediapark Jaarcongres in Hilversum that the broadcaster will expand its HbbTV interactive servies. At the moment, NPO Gemist (catch-up TV) and NPO Plus (additonal information and videos) are part of the HbbTV offer. This will be augmented with Replay TV and Begin Gemist (start-over of individual programmes).
HbbTV will be at the centre of NPO’s interactive services, and the broadcaster has introduced a new logo (see picture above) and will launch a big promotional push. NPO’s HbbTV service is now available via the national DTT network, via Canal Digitaal’s satellite DTH platform and via a number of cable operators, including Ziggo. However, on the Ziggo network HbbTV is only available on TV sets that are directly connected to the network, not via the Horizon STB or the older Mediabox)
