The Portuguese regulator ANACOM has granted Meo a seven-year extension to provide digital terrestrial TV services on MUX A.
In a statement, it says that it made the decision on the right to Use Radio Frequency Spectrum (DUER) maintaining the conditions of the current licence. It adds that Meo’s request was based on five assumptions: renewal of the licence for a period of seven years; maintenance of technological conditions (DVB-T, MPEG-4); the initiation and completion of procedures to enhance the full use of Mux A’s capacity; maintaining current prices per Mbps; and the provision of a financial rebalancing mechanism that would automatically trigger if the conditions enshrined in the licence were to be changed by legal or regulatory determination, namely if they involved an increase in costs or a decrease in revenue.
ANACOM goes on to say that regarding the seven-year period requested by Meo, it considers this appropriate as it corresponds to the period of safeguarding the 470-694 MHz band for broadcasting services, established at European Union level, allowing to ensure the continuity of a DTT service that supports free unrestricted access to television services, including public TV, during that period, and without any impact on the population using the DTT service.
With regard to technology (DVB-T and MPEG- 4), ANACOM considered that any change would imply the acquisition of new receivers by the population, which would cause a significant impact due to the costs inherent in such a change. Indeed, some DTT users would need to purchase new equipment and could have to reorient antennas.
This and other factors led ANACOM to consider that maintaining current technology until 2030 was a viable solution without any impact on the population.
With regard to the remaining assumptions underlying Meo’s request, these go beyond ANACOM’s sphere of competence. Under the law, ANACOM does not have the power to initiate procedures with a view to occupying the capacity available in Mux A. It is also not authorized to envisage and implement a financial rebalancing mechanism.
ANACOM also says that maintaining the current prices charged by Meo to TV operators is not viable. ANACOM cannot ensure that the price per Mbps remains constant throughout the period of validity of the renewed right of use.
The regulator’s decision to grant Meo’s licence renewal request until 10 December 2030 was preceded by a public consultation to which six entities and nine citizens responded.