The new Charter is the result of a complex technical and legal process, the completion of which required, among other things, the coordination of actions with our neighboring countries and the ensuring the smooth operation of the communication infrastructure used by the armed forces.
ΥThe Joint Ministerial Decision on the new Terrestrial Digital Broadcast Frequency Charter, which paves the way for the development of 5G networks in Greece, was signed by the Minister of Digital Government Kyriakos Pierrakakis and the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Stelios Petsas.
The new Frequency Charter, coordinated by the General Secretariat of Telecommunications and Posts of the Ministry of Digital Government, completes the preparation for the performance of the mobile telephony and 5G networks of the 700 MHz band currently used by terrestrial digital TV.
The new Charter is the result of a complex technical and legal process, the completion of which required, among other things, the coordination of actions with our neighboring countries and the ensuring the smooth operation of the communication infrastructure used by the armed forces.
The process of drafting the new Frequency Charter also took into account the least possible inconvenience to citizens, who do not need to proceed with the supply of new television receivers or decoders. Activating the settings of the new Frequency Map will only require the tuning of the receivers.
Following the publication of the new Frequency Map in the Government Gazette in the near future, the National Telecommunications & Post Commission may proceed with its planning for the auction of the 700 MHz band for the development of 5G networks in our country, based on the forecasts of relevant Community directives.
Questions and answers about the new Frequency Map
What is the Frequency Map for terrestrial digital TV broadcasting?
The Frequency Map is a regulatory text that includes the technical details for the terrestrial digital broadcaster (ie the terrestrial digital television provided in Greece by ERT and DIGEA). The Map includes settings such as broadcast specifications, broadcast centers, coverage areas, and radio channels broadcast by each broadcast center.
What has been the case with the Frequency Map to date?
The Joint Ministerial Decision 42800/2012 that had been issued in view of the transition from analogue to digital television was the Frequency Charter until 2018. In this Charter, minor corrections were made with the Joint Ministerial Decision 14879/2018.
Why do we need a new Frequency Map?
In accordance with Resolution 2017/899 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2017, the 700 MHz bandwidth used by digital television will be allocated for the development of broadband electronic services from 5G networks.
This process is also known as Digital Dividend II. The new Frequency Charter, prepared under the coordination of the General Secretariat for Telecommunications and Posts of the Ministry of Digital Government, redistributes the remaining spectrum for use by digital terrestrial television .
Why was the 700 MHz band chosen to be given on 5G networks?
As explicitly stated in Decision 2017/899 “the spectrum in the 700 MHz band offers both additional capacity and universal coverage, especially for rural, mountainous and insular areas, as well as other remote areas facing economic problems, which have been areas of national priority, including along major land transport routes and for indoor use and for wide-ranging communications between machinery ".
