Applications for digital TV channel auction accepted Oct 28-29

Natee Sukonrat confirmed this after his panel yesterday approved in principle the first draft information memorandum (IM) to govern the auction of 24 licences.

The draft IM involves required qualifications of bidders, auction methodology and the key processes ranging from invitations to and holding of the auction to the awarding of licences.

“The broadcasting committee needs to revise some details in this draft before its final approval next Monday to begin furthering the process of digitising the terrestrial TV broadcasting industry,” Natee said.

Once the IM is in place on August 27, potential bidders will be invited to apply for the spectrum auction. The application forms will be available from September 10 to 12. The broadcasting regulator will hold an open house about how to fill out the application forms on October 15.

Each application-form package costs Bt1 million, excluding 7-per-cent value-added tax.  

The broadcasting panel has set the application period for October 28-29.  Qualified bidders will be named within 45 days after the closure of applications.

All qualified bidders will be informed about details of the auction, and a mock-up auction will be held within 15 days after the bidders are short-listed. 

Natee said the spectrum auction would begin within 30 days after the final lists of qualified bidders in each licence category are announced. The committee plans to begin the auction with the licence category that has the most intense competition, but that category has not yet been determined. 

The NBTC reserves 24 digital terrestrial TV licences for commercial purpose including seven channels each for variety programmes in high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD). Another seven channels will be for news programmes and three for children’s programmes, all SD. Those who want to bid for HD variety channels will not be allowed to take part in the auction for SD news channels and vice versa. Each bidder can hold a maximum of three different licences. 

Natee said the successful bidders were expected to be known within 15 days after the auction’s completion. 

 

 

 

Key steps 

 

Key processes and deadlines in the draft IM for the auction of 24 commercial digital terrestrial TV licences. The final draft is to be approved by the broadcast regulator next week.   

 

_ Invitation of potential bidders: August 27

_ Application forms sold: September 10-12

_ Application period: October 28-29

_ Qualified bidders to be announced within 45 days after applications close

_ Details of the auction announced; auction demonstration and test within 15 days after list of qualified bidders is announced

_ Auction begins within 30 days after qualified bidders named

_ Successful bidders will be known within 15 days after completion of the auction 

_ Commercial digital terrestrial TV channels will debut by March 2014

 

Source: NBTC