ANACOM renews SIC's and TVI's licences

ANACOM - Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações decided to renew the licences of SIC and TVI for a 15 year period, for the activity of television broadcasting using the analogue system.

According to the regulator's determination, the renewal of the rights of frequency use of both television stations will be made on the condition that ANACOM may recover those frequencies, free of charge, further to any changes to the National Frequency Allocation Plan, especially following the setting of the date, under the law, for the switch-off of television broadcasting using the analogue system. This condition is essential, since SIC's and TVI's new licences will be valid until 2022, and it is foreseen that the end of the analogue format of television broadcasting will happen long before that date, due to the European Commission’s recommendations that Members States assure the digital switchover until 2012.

The draft versions of the titles of renewal of the rights of frequency use will be submitted to previous hearing by SIC, TVI and PTC, which have a 20 working days period to send comments.

ANACOM also decided to approve the final report on the general consultation procedure launched in February, aiming to renew the rights of frequency use granted to SIC and TVI for the activity of analogue television broadcasting. This consultation questioned the interested parties about ANACOM’s intention to recover the rights of frequency use granted to SIC and TVI on the date which, under the legal terms and the corresponding change to the National Frequency Allocation Plan, would be set for the switch-off of television broadcasting using the analogue system, and the switchover to digital broadcasting.

Comments were received from SIC, TVI and Vodafone Portugal.

SIC's and TVI's current licences are in force until February 2007.

Consult:

Renewal of the rights of frequency use granted to SIC and TVI http://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1086033