Impact of the digital dividend release on regional digital terrestrial television in Spain: the cases of Andalusia, Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Navarre

Abstract

This article describes and analyses the implications for regional terrestrial television in Spain of the withdrawal of one multiplex per self-governing region, as imposed by the 2014 National Technical Plan for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT). This measure results from the release of the digital dividend, whose frequencies (790-862 MHz) –occupied by Hertzian television up to this time– will be used for electronic communication services. The article provides an in-depth analysis of the situation in the four self-governing regions (Andalusia, Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Navarre) that have expressed greater concern and disagreement with this spectrum reduction measure, since it will affect existing or future DTT offerings.