Company type | Digital terrestrial television |
---|---|
Industry | Media |
Founded | 2009 |
Headquarters | Dublin, Ireland TV3 Group Dublin, Ireland Eircom Ltd Dublin & Belfast, Arqiva (Ireland) Dublin, Ireland Setanta Ireland |
Key people | CEO (Vacant) Fintan Drury - Chairperson |
Products | Planned to offer a digital terrestrial television service in the Republic of Ireland |
Revenue | None |
Number of employees | TBD |
Website | TBD |
OneVision was a consortium that have been offered a licence by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland to run the pay television services on the DTT platform in the Republic of Ireland.[1]
OneVision was managed through a consortium made up of telecommunications company Eircom (65%), Arqiva (25%), Setanta (10%) and TV3 Group held a nominal share.[2][3]
OneVision had considered the feasibility of operating the commercial digital terrestrial television service [4][5] after Boxer Ireland decided to withdraw from the contract due to the current economic climate in Ireland.[6]
OneVision was unable to conclude negotiations with the BAI due to difficulties with the terms of RTÉ NL apparently regarding multiplexing, marketing for DTT and other issues. The licence offer has now been made to Easy TV (DTT) the third placed consortium that includes RTÉ and Liberty Global, who own the cable operator UPC.[2][7] In the event that that consortia turn down or do not conclude licence with the BAI, then the licence contract terms may have to be revised to reflect these developments and the contest process restarted after some time or interventive direction by the Minister of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources on how pay DTT will proceed. If the Easy TV (DTT)consortia accept the BCI licence however, and conclude the contract with them, then the Pay DTT operation following successful contract negotiation with RTÉ NL it may launch by September 2010 or later with 2011 look more likely by the day either with a pay DTT operator or not[8][9]
RTÉ NL propose a number of extra channel to be freely available unencrypted across the Republic of Ireland. These channels include the current Analogue services of RTÉ One, RTÉ Two, TV3 (Ireland) and TG4. In the Broadcasting Act 2009 the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources has (following the suggestion by former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and James Morris, the head of the Irish Film Board) provided for the establishment of 2 new public service broadcasters to provide services currently under the working titles of the Houses of the Oireachtas Channel and the Irish Film Channel. The Irish Film Channel will be owned and operated by the IFB/BSÉ.
It has been announced in mid January 2010 that RTÉ has appointed Teracom AB to conduct receiver compliance testing for Irish free-to-air (FTA) DTT receivers. Those receivers which pass the tests thereby meeting the Irish DTT specification will be eligible to be licensed to use RTÉ’s “Saorview” logo, which will confirm to consumers that the receiver is Irish FTA DTT compliant. RTÉNL will publish a full list of compliant DTT receivers on its web site.[25]
Manufacturers/distributors wishing to use the Saorview logo will submit receivers to Teracom for testing. When a receiver passes the tests, it will then be eligible to be licensed by RTÉ to carry the Saorview logo.”
A November 1, 2010 FTA DTT launch is now on target following a direction from the Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources, to RTÉ and signing of the RTÉ (National Television Multiplex) Order 2010 (S.I. No. 85 of 2010) on February 26, 2010. The planned DTT information campaign is likely during Summer 2010 in advance of launch regardless of the outcome of the BAI commercial DTT negotiations.[26] 90% coverage at launch is required of the RTÉ multiplex while the remainder of the country is to be covered by December 31, 2011 providing at minimum the 4 Irish terrestrial channels. This also tallies with RTÉNL proceeding with Irish DTT receiver certification announced in January 2010, following the selection of Teracom to conduct the tests and expansion of the network engineering tests during 2009.[25]
Below are the possible channels, subject to change
On 1 February 2010 the Republic of Ireland's Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan signed an agreement with the UK’s Ben Bradshaw.[citation needed] This agreement will enable viewers within Northern Ireland to watch RTÉ One, RTÉ Two and TG4 on a free-to-air basis as of 2012.[28] The agreement between both jurisdictions will also guarantee that viewers within the Republic of Ireland will be able to view BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC Two Northern Ireland on the Republic of Ireland’s free-to-air service which is to debut in late 2010. A cross-border initiative has always been on the agenda for the Green Party in the Republic of Ireland. However, in recent days, a change has occurred such that BBC services are now to be offered in the Republic of Ireland on a ‘paid for’ basis and not the original free-to-air basis.[citation needed] This change has been referred to as a mistake between the MOU and press releases.
Basic Pack - €9.99 [29] (Channel line-up and cost structure subject to change)
Setanta Sports Pack - €19.99 (Subject to change)
Sky Sports Pack - €24.99
Sky Movies Pack - €14.99