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Digital Terrestrial TV
RTE's Plans OTA Internet Service
Dateline 0530 Hrs 27 December 1998
RTE Online is one of the better Irish websites on the internet. Often criticised for being top heavy and insular, RTE's outlook on the future of television in Ireland is anything but. For RTE, the future is digital and they want to give internet access as part of that package - all for £65 per year. The back channel will be over the air.
RTE plans to introduce Digital Terrestrial Television to Ireland within the next two years. A presentation by RTE's Peter Brannigan at the Internet Show in Dublin, was effectively the stealth announcement of the show. It went largely unnoticed by the clueless who flocked to the main conference to hear vacuous generalities from a largely irrelevant, to the Irish internet situation anyway, panel - and all that time RTE was talking specifics.
The benefits of digital television are obvious - better video quality, better sound, more value added services. The UK experienced its first digital terrestrial television (DTT) services in November while digital television via satellite is already a reality there with the likes of BSkyB's SkyDigital and the various other European services that can be received with the aid of a digital satellite receiver and a pirate smart card.
From an Irish point of view, RTE's DTT project would offer cultural sovereignty whereas the leading opponent, BSkyB's SkyDigital offers a lack of culture. The other important aspect is that any E-Commerce generated by RTE's DTT project would benefit and remain in the Irish economy.
With most conventional DTT systems, such as the OnDigital one in the UK, the back channel is via a phone line. The RTE venture will use low power RF from the set top box to provide the back channel into the internet.
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Ireland is also better suited to a DTT system. MMDS coverage is somewhat problematic and satellite delivery requires a clear view of the satellite. With current RTE coverage running at close to 95%, using a terrestrial distribution system make a lot of sense. Though it will require the purchase of a setoff unit, DTT will use RTE's existing transmitter networks and aerials already installed in people's homes.
The new operation will take the shape of a joint venture, tentatively called Digico. RTE will own 40% of the stock and the rest will be open to external investment. The new company will take over the existing RTE transmission network and will develop six national DTT multiplexes. Two of these will be carrying the free to air channels such as RTE1, Network2, TnaG and TV3 and of course the high speed internet service. The other four multiplexes will carry Pay Per View services and possibly regional programming.
With most conventional DTT systems, such as the OnDigital one in the UK, the back channel is via a phone line. The RTE venture will use low power RF from the set top box to provide the back channel into the internet. This will dramatically simplify the connection to the internet for the user. The technology is being developed by the EU ACTS project, iTTi (for Interactive Terrestrial Television Integration).
RTE's DTT system is set for launch in 2000 with a full deployment expected by 2001. The most important aspect for many users is that it will also offer internet access via the same set top box. A 98% coverage is expected within two years of the launch of the service. However a very important aspect of internet via DTT is that the infrastructure is comparatively better positioned and less labour intensive than that required for a conventional internet service. With phone connections, there is the problem of the physical phoneline being installed. With cable, the cable has to be installed. With satellite, the installation of the satellite dish is perhaps as simple as the DTT installation, but it still requires the installation of the back channel in the form of a phoneline. DTT can provide greater coverage at a far lower per user cost than any of the competing options.
The issue of content is one that seems to be close to RTE's corporate heart. Clearly there is a huge amount of archival material at their disposal. RTE Online, the website, demonstrates the intent for RTE to become a portal site and in this respect it seems to be following other channels such as CNN. Local content will be an important factor in the project and RTE expects to have a lot of local involvement. The term used in the presentation was a "walled garden" approach. This approach would offer a lot of local content and with links into the Digico electronic programme it would put the new company in prime position to become one of the main, if not the Irish portal site. The only thing now is whether the public is prepared to wait for two years.
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