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CRC has announced its intention for conducting contests for construction of digital television networks in Bulgaria

The applicants for participation in the procedures can announce their intentions by 3rd April 2009.

 

      By Decisions No. 238 (announcement) and No. 239 (announcement) of 20 March 2009 the Communications Regulation Commission /СRC/ has announced its intention to conduct two contest procedures for granting rights of use for carrying out electronic communications through digital television networks with national coverage.
      The first phase envisages one right of use to be granted for individually assigned scarce resource - radio frequency spectrum for carrying out electronic communications through two digital television networks. The undertaking, winning the contest, will have to start broadcasting on an „island" principle in the cities of Burgas, Varna, Vidin, Plovdiv, Ruse, Sofia and Stara Zagora by December 2009 г.; by June 2010 - in the cities of Blagoevgrad, Кardjali, Pleven, Smolian and Shumen; by June 2011 it will have to ensure population coverage of at least 75% for Burgas, Varna, Vidin, Plovdiv, Ruse, Sofia and Stara Zagora; by December 2011 - minimum 75% for Blagoevgrad, Кardjali, Pleven, Smolian and Shumen; by December 2012 - at least 95% coverage of the population for each zone where service is provided.
      For the second phase of the digitalization a right of use shall be granted for individually assigned scarce resource - radio frequency spectrum for carrying out electronic communications through three digital television networks. The Decision to announce this intention is taken in execution of the provisions of § 5а, paragraph 2 of the Transitional and Final Provisions of LEC, according to which СRC has to open simultaneously the contest procedures for the first and second phase of the Plan for digitalization.
      The winner of the contest has to meet the following timetable for roll-out of the network: to start broadcasting on an „island" principle in Burgas, Varna, Vidin, Plovdiv, Ruse, Sofia and Stara Zagora by July 2011; by January 2012 - to start broadcasting in Blagoevgrad, Кardjali, Pleven, Smolian and Shumen; by December 2013 - to ensure population coverage of at least 75% for Burgas, Varna, Vidin, Plovdiv, Ruse, Sofia and Stara Zagora; by July 2014 - at least 75% for Blagoevgrad, Кardjali, Pleven, Smolian and Shumen; by June 2015 - at least 95% population coverage for each zone where service is provided.
      The number of the channels and the frequency bands to be assigned are a part of the Decisions and are published on the Internet site of CRC.
      The applicants for participation in the procedures should declare their intentions in CRC by 3 April 2009.