French media regulator Arcom has launched a call for applications for six national digital terrestrial television licences that expire in December 2027.

The process covers the HD broadcasting licences currently held by 6ter, L’Équipe, RMC Découverte, RMC Life, RMC Story and TF1 Séries Films.

The six channels will face a new licensing process as Arcom determines the future composition of France’s free-to-air terrestrial television offering.

The regulator has aligned the expiry dates of the new licences with those awarded during its previous licensing round. Successful applicants will receive authorisations running until 2035.

Arcom said the common expiry date would make it easier to reorganise the national DTT channel line-up in the future, should changes to the market or distribution environment make this necessary.

The process is open to applicants seeking to operate national HD television services on the DTT platform. Existing licence holders will need to participate if they wish to retain their terrestrial broadcasting rights beyond December 2027.

Prospective applicants must request electronic submission instructions from Arcom by midday on 1 December 2026, with completed applications due by midday on 15 December 2026.

The licensing round comes as France continues to assess the future of terrestrial broadcasting alongside the growth of IPTV and streaming distribution.

By aligning the licences to 2035, Arcom is creating a common regulatory timetable for future decisions about the national DTT platform.

RTVE will begin the next phase of Spain’s DTT transition on November 5, launching La 2 in Ultra High Definition and introducing DVB-T2 transmissions.

La 2 UHD will join La 1 UHD, which has been available terrestrially since February 2024, as RTVE begins implementing DVB-T2 under Spain’s current National Technical Plan for DTT.

Viewers will be required to retune their televisions on November 5. Compatible DVB-T2 and UHD receivers will then be able to access La 1 UHD and the new La 2 UHD service, although most Spanish terrestrial channels will continue to be transmitted in HD during the transition.

The changes represent the first phase of a longer-term migration intended eventually to move Spain’s DTT channels to UHD.

RTVE is also using the capacity to introduce RNE Accesible, an accessibility service for Radio Nacional de España delivered through DTT.

The service, previously known as RNE para todos, combines RNE programming with subtitles and sign-language interpretation for people with hearing disabilities. Viewers will also be able to see pictures from RNE’s main radio studio. RTVE describes it as the first accessible radio service of its kind delivered over DTT.

Terrestrial television remains particularly significant in Spain. RTVE says around 80% of television viewing is through DTT, while its terrestrial network reaches more than 99% of the population.

The November changes will see UHD services carried on a digital multiplex as Spain progressively introduces DVB-T2, which provides greater transmission efficiency than the DVB-T standard currently used for much of the platform.

Serbia’s communications regulator RATEL has selected state-owned transmission operator Emisiona tehnika i veze (ETV) to operate three national digital terrestrial television multiplexes in the 470–694 MHz band.

The decision follows a public bidding process held on September 22, in which ETV was the only qualified bidder. At its meeting on October 1, the RATEL Council selected the company for MUX1, MUX2 and MUX5.

The licences cover the use of spectrum between 470 and 694 MHz across Serbia for digital terrestrial television. ETV must now pay the spectrum usage fees established through the tender, together with the fees for issuing the individual licences, before RATEL formally assigns each multiplex.

ETV already operates Serbia’s terrestrial broadcasting infrastructure, providing digital television and radio transmission services from a nationwide network of transmission sites.

Serbia completed its original transition from analogue to DVB-T2 terrestrial television in June 2015, ahead of the ITU’s analogue switch-off deadline. The network has subsequently continued to use DVB-T2, making Serbia an early adopter of the second-generation terrestrial standard.

The latest licensing process concerns the continued use of the sub-700 MHz spectrum for terrestrial television rather than a new transition to DVB-T2. The three multiplex awards also come as European broadcasters and regulators debate the longer-term future of the 470–694 MHz UHF band, which remains central to terrestrial television distribution across much of Europe.

The European Broadcasting Union has called for continued protection of terrestrial television spectrum beyond 2030 as Europe begins preparations for the World Radiocommunication Conference 2027.

In its submission to the European Commission on the EU’s position for WRC-27, the EBU says the 470–694 MHz band is now the only remaining spectrum available for digital terrestrial television in most EU Member States.

The band is also used throughout the EU for Programme Making and Special Events (PMSE), including wireless microphones.

Current EU legislation guarantees the availability of the 470-694 MHz band for terrestrial broadcasting, including free-to-air television, until at least 2030. However, 2030 is not a deadline for the closure of DTT.

Previous European spectrum planning has explicitly considered a scenario in which DTT remains the principal means of delivering linear television in individual countries throughout the 2030–2040 period. The Radio Spectrum Policy Group has concluded that differing viewing habits and national circumstances make a single post-2030 approach across Europe impractical.

The EBU is now opposing an attempt to put another review of part of the spectrum onto the agenda for WRC-31.

A preliminary WRC-31 agenda item would consider regulatory action involving the 614–694 MHz band. However, the EBU argues that such a review is premature because European work on flexible use of the wider 470–694 MHz band is still under way.

The organisation says that any future changes must ensure that countries wishing to continue terrestrial broadcasting are able to do so and that sufficient spectrum remains available for audio PMSE.

It consequently opposes the inclusion of the proposed spectrum review on the WRC-31 agenda.

The position follows changes agreed at WRC-23, where a secondary mobile allocation was introduced in part of the UHF band. The EBU argues that implementation of that decision is still being explored and should be understood before further changes are considered.

Elsewhere in its WRC-27 submission, the EBU is seeking protection for spectrum used in television production. It opposes proposed mobile or satellite allocations in several bands used for fixed contribution links, wireless cameras and video links.

In particular, it wants the existing regulatory position retained in the 2010-2025 MHz band, which it describes as the only EU-wide harmonised spectrum available for video PMSE.

The technology companies are demonstrating the joint solution at IBC 2026 in Amsterdam. The partnership is aimed at bringing advertising capabilities commonly associated with connected TV to HbbTV and DTT environments, with a focus on generating additional advertising inventory and enabling direct consumer interaction.

One of the solutions is Broadpeak’s Spot2Spot for HbbTV, developed in cooperation with Sofia Digital. It enables complete advertising breaks to combine targeted advertisements with mirrored linear commercials. According to the companies, this approach can facilitate digital ad replacement on older HbbTV television sets and extend the addressable reach of targeted advertising.

The partnership also introduces Broadpeak Click2 for HbbTV, which adds smartphone-based interaction to TV advertising. Viewers can scan a QR code to pair their smartphone with the advertising experience and subsequently interact with the campaign – a “See, Click OK and Buy Later” approach designed for the lean-back TV environment, according to the companies.

A third component, Broadpeak BannersIn for HbbTV, enables web-based canvases to be overlaid on live streams. This can be used to create clickable L-banner formats and other interactive advertising experiences. The web-based approach is designed to allow advertisers and publishers to deploy different campaign formats without requiring a separate application for each use case.

Broadpeak is seeking to expand performance advertising on connected TV by combining better targeting with formats such as Spot2Spot, BannersIn and Click2. The company is targeting a new generation of advertisers looking to use television for measurable, performance-oriented campaigns. Sofia Digital brings its HbbTV expertise to the collaboration, with the companies positioning the partnership as a way to extend advanced CTV advertising concepts to HbbTV and DTT platforms.

Spain’s National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) has provisionally concluded that Cellnex continues to hold significant market power in wholesale terrestrial television transmission.

The regulator has opened consultations on both its latest market review and a set of commitments offered by Cellnex as a possible replacement for some existing regulatory obligations.

The wholesale market covers the infrastructure used by broadcasters to transmit DTT services and meet their population coverage requirements. It generated close to €173 million in 2025, with revenues remaining broadly stable in recent years.

According to the CNMC, DTT still accounts for around 71 per cent of linear television viewing in Spain. Its near-universal availability and free-to-air model also make it an important means of accessing news and events designated as being of general interest.

The regulator found that high barriers to entry remain because a nationwide service requires an extensive network of transmission and relay sites. Replicating that infrastructure would involve substantial investment, while alternative transmission providers remain heavily dependent on access to Cellnex facilities.

Cellnex is currently required to provide competitors with co-location and interconnection services under the regulated Reference Offer for Access to Broadcasting Centres, known as ORAC. The CNMC said increased use of these wholesale services since its previous review demonstrated the continuing value of the access obligations, but had not produced a substantial change in the market’s competitive structure.

Cellnex has not challenged the proposed market definition or its designation as an operator with significant market power. Instead, it has offered binding commitments intended to replace parts of the current regulatory framework.

Its proposals include continued access to co-location and interconnection services, five years of price stability with adjustments linked to inflation, and reduced accounting and transparency requirements. The ORAC reference offer would remain in place.

The CNMC will assess whether the commitments can maintain effective access, transparency and non-discrimination while giving Cellnex greater operational flexibility. Interested parties have until 30 September to respond.

One Hungary is to close its subscription terrestrial television service on November 30, leaving the future use of three DVB-T2 multiplexes uncertain.

First reported by Hungarian technology publication HWSW, One has informed customers that One Földfelszíni TV will no longer be available from December. The operator attributed the decision to commercial considerations.

One stopped selling new subscriptions to the service on May 29 but initially said existing customers would continue to receive it unchanged.

One Földfelszíni TV is the successor to Antenna Hungária’s MinDig TV Extra service, subsequently known as MinDig TV Premium. It distributes subscription channels using DVB-T2 and HEVC across three national multiplexes.

The closure will not affect Hungary’s free-to-air terrestrial channels, which are transmitted separately using DVB-T.

According to figures from media and communications regulator NMHH, the pay platform had around 47,000 subscribers at the end of 2025. Its customer base only briefly exceeded 100,000 at its peak, despite substantial investment in Hungary’s digital terrestrial infrastructure.

The commercial multiplexes were upgraded to DVB-T2 and HEVC in 2020 as Hungary cleared the 700MHz band for mobile services. The free-to-air multiplexes remained on DVB-T.

Responsibility for the transmission network now rests with state-owned Pro-M, which acquired 4iG’s broadcasting infrastructure business in December 2025. Pro-M also inherited the national DTT operating agreement, which remains valid until 2032.

One’s withdrawal therefore raises questions over the future of the capacity previously used for pay television. However, it does not signal the closure of Hungary’s wider terrestrial platform.

One Hungary brings together the former Vodafone Hungary, Digi and Antenna Hungária commercial operations under 4iG’s One brand.

Arqiva has completed the migration of the UK’s commercial digital radio infrastructure onto its new Central Coding & Multiplexing System.

The multi-year programme covers all 62 DAB multiplexes and more than 1,000 radio services, creating a more centralised and resilient platform for commercial digital radio. So-called small-scaled DAB multiplexes are often run by community radio groups.

The new Arqica system consolidates infrastructure previously spread across 13 locations into two centralised sites. Arqiva says the CCMS estate now occupies seven equipment racks, reducing hardware, power and cooling requirements.

Annual electricity consumption has fallen from around 1,324 MWh to 168 MWh, an 87% reduction, while estimated carbon emissions have been cut from about 173 tonnes of CO2e to 22 tonnes. More than 300 studio encoders, over 200 decoders and more than 100 racks of legacy equipment are being decommissioned and recycled.

Dom Wedgwood, Chief Technology Officer at Arqiva, said: “Digital radio remains a critically important platform for broadcasters and listeners across the UK, and this programme represents one of the most significant transformations of our radio infrastructure in recent years.

“Completing the migration of all 62 multiplexes and more than 1,000 services onto our new platform strengthens the resilience and future-readiness of the UK’s DAB network, while delivering substantial improvements in efficiency and sustainability.”

The upgrade comes as digital listening continues to dominate UK radio consumption. According to RAJAR’s Q2 2026 figures, total digital platforms accounted for 75.5% of all radio listening hours, compared with 24.5% for AM/FM. DAB remained the largest single platform with a 42.7% share, while online listening accounted for 30.3%, including 18.7% via smart speakers and 11.6% through websites and apps. Total radio weekly reach stood at 51.1 million adults, or 86.6% of the UK adult population.

Spain will begin a major upgrade of its digital terrestrial television platform on 5 November, when national broadcasters start transmitting in Ultra HD using the DVB-T2 broadcast standard.

The move follows a resolution from Spain’s Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service, which also creates capacity for a new national television service, La Séptima, through a redistribution of DTT spectrum.

The introduction of DVB-T2 brings Spain into line with most other European markets and allows broadcasters to deliver UHD picture quality while using spectrum more efficiently. Existing HD services will continue, meaning viewers with older televisions will still be able to receive channels, while compatible receivers will gain access to UHD broadcasts.

Broadcasters affected by the frequency changes must begin informing viewers from 5 October, ahead of the November launch, with households required to retune their televisions to receive the reorganised channel lineup.

The changes are part of Spain’s National Technical Plan for Digital Terrestrial Television, approved in 2025, with a longer-term goal of migrating all national, regional and local terrestrial services to UHD once enough compatible receivers are in homes.

Everyone TV says the 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered a significant increase in broadband viewing, as UK audiences continued to shift towards internet-delivered live television.

Citing BARB data, the operator of Freely, Freeview and Freesat said the share of viewing from broadband-only homes for England’s group-stage matches was more than four times higher than during the 2022 World Cup.

The tournament also delivered several milestones for Freely, which passed two million monthly active users during the competition and recorded its biggest viewing day since launch. Everyone TV said the proportion of users returning to the platform daily had also increased compared with last year.

Jonathan Thompson, CEO of Everyone TV, said: “Major sporting events like the World Cup bring millions of people together for a shared live viewing experience. As one of the UK’s biggest TV events, it offers a clear picture of how audiences are choosing to watch.

“Compared with 2022, significantly more viewing took place over the internet, highlighting the growing role of broadband in delivering free television and the changing ways audiences are watching live TV.”

The figures sit alongside strong digital performances from the BBC and ITV, which shared UK free-to-air coverage of the tournament. BBC Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski said 42.8 million people watched BBC live match coverage on television or streamed games through iPlayer, the BBC Sport app and website, generating 237 million streams. BBC coverage of England v Argentina in the semi-final reached 24 million, while England’s late-night win over Mexico drew 9.1 million despite running into the early hours.

ITV also reported record streaming demand during the tournament. ITVX recorded 468 million streams in June, its strongest month to date, with 21 million users. ITV said live football was the main driver, with 16 of its top 20 live-streamed audiences of the year coming from World Cup matches during the group stage. Its coverage of England v Croatia peaked at 16.4 million viewers, ITV’s highest audience of the year.

Everyone TV is backed by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, and has positioned Freely as the long-term successor platform for free TV as viewing moves from aerial and satellite reception to broadband. The company has previously said it wants Freely to become the UK’s largest TV device platform by 2030.