RTÉ's Chief Financial Officer has said that it has spent €40m putting the Digital Terrestrial Television infrastructure in place.
DTT Analogue TV switch-off planned for September 2012
Conor Hayes was speaking this morning at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
RTÉ and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland appeared at the committee.
Mr Hayes told the committee that RTÉ wants to make two complimentary digital systems, DTT and free-to-air, available to replace the analogue service.
Mr Hayes said RTÉ is working against the clock to achieve analogue TV switch-off, which is planned for 31 September 2012.
He said that by October of this year, RTÉ would have a national TV free-to-air multiplex operational, which would be capable of being received by 90% of the population.
Mr Hayes said the total spend on the project will be €70m for the two multiplex platforms. Originally, it had planned for six multiplex platforms.
Head of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland Bob Collins told the committee that unfortunately the project has not proceeded at the pace it should have.
Households without satellite or cable television services will have to upgrade to DTT.
Labour Party TD Liz McManus said the delays were disappointing.
She said it was bad that Sky takes €500m out of Ireland every year.
Ms McManus said the project had no clear structure, which she said was 'crazy with deadlines just around the corner'.
Fine Gael's Michael Darcy described the project an information black hole.
However, Mr Hayes said there would be a formal structure within a few months. He said this was the case because the project is only in the pre-planning phase.
In response to further questioning from the committee about efforts to find commercial partners for transmission of DTT, Mr Collins said that the BAI had no formal linkage with RTE NL.
RTE Networks Limited is the new arm of RTÉ responsible for distribution of the DTT.
The hearing has adjourned.
DTT Analogue TV switch-off planned for September 2012
Conor Hayes was speaking this morning at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
RTÉ and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland appeared at the committee.
Mr Hayes told the committee that RTÉ wants to make two complimentary digital systems, DTT and free-to-air, available to replace the analogue service.
Mr Hayes said RTÉ is working against the clock to achieve analogue TV switch-off, which is planned for 31 September 2012.
He said that by October of this year, RTÉ would have a national TV free-to-air multiplex operational, which would be capable of being received by 90% of the population.
Mr Hayes said the total spend on the project will be €70m for the two multiplex platforms. Originally, it had planned for six multiplex platforms.
Head of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland Bob Collins told the committee that unfortunately the project has not proceeded at the pace it should have.
Households without satellite or cable television services will have to upgrade to DTT.
Labour Party TD Liz McManus said the delays were disappointing.
She said it was bad that Sky takes €500m out of Ireland every year.
Ms McManus said the project had no clear structure, which she said was 'crazy with deadlines just around the corner'.
Fine Gael's Michael Darcy described the project an information black hole.
However, Mr Hayes said there would be a formal structure within a few months. He said this was the case because the project is only in the pre-planning phase.
In response to further questioning from the committee about efforts to find commercial partners for transmission of DTT, Mr Collins said that the BAI had no formal linkage with RTE NL.
RTE Networks Limited is the new arm of RTÉ responsible for distribution of the DTT.
The hearing has adjourned.
