The Government approves the urgent processing of the royal decree regulating the second digital dividend

The Council of Ministers today declared urgent the processing of the draft royal decree approving the National Technical Plan for Digital Terrestrial Television and regulating certain aspects for the release of the second digital dividend. This regulation will make possible the release of the 694-790 MHz frequency band (700 MHz band), currently occupied by DTT, and accelerate the deployment and development of 5G technology in Spain.

Making the 700 MHz band available for electronic communications services – or the second digital dividend – requires a series of prior technical, economic, legal and administrative actions. The urgent processing of this project of royal decree is justified to comply with the calendar established in the European Union, which marks the deadline to end this process on June 30, 2020.

5G technology will make possible the emergence of new digital business models in Spain. It would also bring competitiveness to the national business and industrial fabric.

Royal Decree

This draft royal decree also provides security and guarantees for the continuity and future of the digital terrestrial television service. In particular, the use of the 470-694 MHz band is guaranteed, which will continue to be used for the DTT service at least until 2030. This band will have the same DTT networks that exist in the Technical Plan currently in force, and the offer of existing channels will be maintained.

Under this royal decree, each digital manifold will have the capacity to integrate four high-definition television channels, while being able to continue the current broadcasts in standard definition. In parallel, it is committed to a quality digital terrestrial television service, establishing a deadline for all channels to evolve their broadcasts to high definition.

The Royal Decree project also promotes the technological renewal of the DTT receivers park in Spain. Thus, after six months from the entry into force of this rule, the receivers that become available on the Spanish market must include the ability to receive emissions in high definition. The larger ones should also incorporate the ability to receive ultra-high definition broadcasts, broadcasts with DVB-T2 transmission technology and HbbTV interactive services.

Finally, the technical specifications of DTT emissions in high definition and in ultra high definition are included, and measures are included to favor and promote the future implementation of advanced DTT standards with technologies of greater spectral efficiency, which allow a more efficient use of the radio spectrum and an improvement in quality.