Frequencies for digital TV trials

The Malta Communications Authority will grant temporary rights of use of the appropriate radio frequencies to market players and other interested parties wanting to conduct trial digital terrestrial television transmissions.

This follows the consultation undertaken by the Ministry for Competitiveness and Communications in July on a strategy for digital broadcasting.

The authority said the radio spectrum trial allocations would not in any way bind the government to formulate a policy in any particular way.

"It is envisaged that this policy will be announced shortly; the government is presently analysing the various submissions emanating from consultations earlier this year," the authority said.

These trials will be confined to a period of four months and as the amount of radio spectrum available is limited, rights to use the spectrum will be granted for specific time frames to give all interested parties an opportunity to test digital technology.

Three frequencies have been made available for testing purposes and the MCA said it aimed to allocate them in a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory way.

Conditions are available from the MCA website at www.mca.org.mt.

Interested parties must submit their application to the MCA by 5 p.m. on December 3, addressed to the Director General, Malta Communications Authority, Suite 43/44, Il-Piazzetta, Tower Road, Sliema, SLM16.

Applications may also be sent by e-mail to technical@mca.org.mt or by fax on 2133 6840.

Any parties that have already submitted applications for an allocation of a test frequency need not reapply.