Terrestrial television channel numbering in Italy could be extended to accommodate services delivered over the internet under proposals published for consultation by the Italian communications regulator AGCOM. The plans explicitly recognise the DVB-I and HbbTV standards, reflecting the increasing convergence of broadcast and online television.
The proposals would allocate channel numbers 650 to 699 to local broadcasters and give priority to national broadcasters using numbers 950 to 999 to provide access to third-party programming over IP.
The Italian regulator, Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni, AGCOM, is consulting on four sets of rules covering terrestrial broadcasting authorisations, logical channel numbering, audiovisual and radio services delivered over other networks, and associated interactive and conditional access services.
Under the proposed logical channel numbering plan, the numbers 650 to 699 would be allocated to authorised local terrestrial broadcasters that enable viewers to access programming from third parties through advanced or interactive applications. Numbers 950 to 999 would be allocated on a priority basis to national terrestrial broadcasters providing similar access to internet-delivered services.
The proposals explicitly identify DVB-I and HbbTV as technologies that can be used to provide such services on hybrid television receivers equipped with both terrestrial tuners and broadband connections.
AGCOM proposes that broadcasters wishing to provide access to third-party programming over IP through their assigned channel numbers should apply for dedicated numbering. The third-party providers would also need to hold the appropriate authorisations for their services. Broadcasters operating the interactive access systems themselves could be subject to additional authorisation requirements.
The regulator also proposes that viewers should be required to take an explicit action before moving from terrestrial broadcasting to an internet-delivered service. An information screen would have to make the transition clear to the viewer.
The proposals follow an AGCOM investigation into the use of HbbTV for delivering audiovisual services through the terrestrial television platform, concluded in December 2025. The regulator says the increasing integration of broadcast and IP networks requires a coordinated revision of the rules governing television services and their distribution.
Italy has an established regulatory framework for logical channel numbering, with familiar national broadcasters occupying prominent positions and other numbers allocated according to service categories and geographical coverage. The revised plan would retain the existing numbering structure while introducing specific provisions for services that use terrestrial television as an entry point to internet delivery.
The approach has implications for the development of DVB-I, which enables television services delivered over broadcast and broadband networks to be discovered and presented through a common service list. While DVB-I is designed to support a unified television experience across different delivery networks, the Italian proposals maintain a distinction between terrestrial broadcasting rights and access to services delivered over IP.
AGCOM states that terrestrial channel numbering is not merely a technical mechanism but an important means of organising television services, helping viewers navigate channels while protecting the visibility of different broadcasters. The proposed rules seek to accommodate internet delivery without undermining the established allocation of terrestrial channel numbers.
The consultation also addresses the responsibilities of broadcasters and service providers, including editorial accountability, transparency of ownership and the efficient use of terrestrial transmission capacity. Existing broadcasting authorisations and channel number allocations would generally be preserved, with transitional arrangements for services affected by the new requirements.
The proposals follow several years of DVB-I trials in Italy, led by commercial broadcaster Mediaset, which began a proof of concept in 2019 and launched a wider market trial in late 2023. Mediaset has provided broadband versions of Canale 5, Italia 1, Rete 4 and 20, integrated into the television channel list alongside terrestrial services.
The Italian trial has expanded to involve other national and local broadcasters, as well as television manufacturers, with around 60 channels from more than 10 broadcasters demonstrated by September 2024. The experience has also informed the development of Italian receiver specifications, although the regulatory treatment of logical channel numbering has remained an outstanding issue.