Countries are now competing to be the first to launch a national television platform based on the DVB-I specification for service discovery. The Bavarian regulator has published its framework for the commercial deployment of DVB-I in the German market, expected to be launched at the IFA trade show in September. Freeview New Zealand is planning to be the first nationwide free-to-air television platform to use the standard. The race is on.
The DVB-I Book Germany has been developed by the ‘Round Table’ of public and private broadcasters in Germany, including ARD, ZDF, RTL, and Seven.One, with the participation of ZVEI, the German Electro and Digital Industry Association. It draws on an implementation profile previously published by Deutsche TV-Plattform, the latest version of which will be released in June.
The chair of the DVB-I Round Table in Germany is Dr Thorsten Schmiege, who is president of the Bavarian Regulatory Authority for New Media, BLM. Unlike all other German states, or Länder, all broadcasting services licensed in Bavaria are subject to the BLM.
“DVB-I offers simple and direct access to commercial and public service TV content via streaming without the need for additional apps,” he said. “DVB-I is intended to ensure the availability and findability of traditional broadcast content and linear TV — in a future-oriented way and independent of the commercial interests of individual gatekeepers.”
“Built on open standards, the German DVB-I Book defines the comprehensive requirements for service providers and receiver manufacturers ahead of the nationwide launch, marking a major collaborative milestone for all key stakeholders in the German market,” said Remo Vogel, the head of distribution strategy at RBB, one of the nine regional public broadcasting corporations that make up the ARD, who chairs of the DVB Project. “With launch activities progressing in Italy, the recent announcement from New Zealand, and the German market launch now in sight, we are beginning to see the results of this shared international effort.”
The DVB-I Book Germany envisages a regulated service list for Germany and defines its operational framework, procedures for including and ordering services, and a receiver certification process. Certified receivers will be granted authenticated access to the service list and associated content guides. It is expected that this service list will assume an official product name in the future.