Television in the Republic of Ireland is available through a variety of platforms. The digital terrestrial television service is known as Saorview and is the primary source of broadcast television since analogue transmissions ended on 24 October 2012. Digital satellite and digital cable are also widely used.
Digital terrestrial television is a technology for terrestrial television in which land-based (terrestrial) television stations broadcast television content by radio waves to televisions in consumers' residences in a digital format. DTTV is a major technological advance over the previous analog television, and has largely replaced analog which had been in common use since the middle of the 20th century. Test broadcasts began in 1998 with the changeover to DTTV beginning in 2006 and is now complete in many countries. The advantages of digital terrestrial television are similar to those obtained by digitising platforms such as cable TV, satellite, and telecommunications: more efficient use of limited radio spectrum bandwidth, provision of more television channels than analog, better quality images, and potentially lower operating costs for broadcasters.
Boxer TV Access is a Swedish brand owned by Tele2 AB providing pay television channels on the digital terrestrial television network in Sweden. Modeled on the British ITV Digital, it was founded in October 1999. Some channels on the Swedish DTT are free-to-air, but most of the channels require subscription from Boxer. Boxer has claimed to have around 500,000 subscribers by June 2016 when it was acquired by ComHem.
Digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom encompasses over 100 television, radio and interactive services broadcast via the United Kingdom's terrestrial television network and receivable with a standard television set. The majority of digital terrestrial television (DTT) services, including the five former analogue channels, are broadcast free-to-air, and a further selection of encrypted pay TV services are also available.
2RN is the trading name of RTÉ Transmission Network DAC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Raidió Teilifís Éireann, formerly trading as RTÉNL, which runs Ireland's principal digital terrestrial television and radio broadcast networks. In December 2002 it became an incorporated company and subsidiary of RTÉ, it was previously a division within RTÉ. It operates 12 main TV and radio transmitter sites and many smaller relays and transposers, which carry television and/or radio. It also provides site hosting for mobile telephone operators, the emergency services, wireless broadband and other private mobile communications service providers.
Digital Radio in the Republic of Ireland is broadcast on a number of digital terrestrial, cable and internet platforms. Until the 31 March 2021, official broadcasts of the digital audio broadcasting standard were also available in the state by Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) of their full banquet of radio services. DAB broadcasts since April 2021 are now restricted to unlicensed, low powered multiplexes in a small number of locations.
The deployment of digital terrestrial television in Ireland has taken some time, with the first small tests being carried out in 1998. 2002 saw the cancellation and non-award of the DTT commercial licence and transmission network sale. In August 2006, a major regional DTT trial began in conjunction with major television channels in Ireland including Raidió Teilifís Éireann, TV3, TG4 and the now-defunct Channel 6. By 2008 the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland announced that three groups had come together with proposals to manage commercial DTT in Ireland.
Bauer Media Audio Ireland is a media holding company based in Ireland, owned by Bauer Media Group.
The Broadcasting (Amendment) Act 2007 is an Act of the Oireachtas which was enacted in April 2007. It deals with Irish Analogue broadcasting systems and the amendment of legislation on Digital Terrestrial Television dating back to 2001. This act amends previous acts in particular the Broadcasting Act 2001.
Television in Northern Ireland is available using, digital terrestrial, digital satellite and cable.
The Broadcasting Act 2009 is an Act of the Oireachtas of Ireland. It was signed into law on 12 July 2009, although the provisions relating to the establishment of the new Broadcasting Authority of Ireland did not come into force until a Statutory Instrument was made giving them effect on 30 September 2009.
OneVision was a consortium which was offered a licence by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland to run the pay television services on the DTT platform in the Republic of Ireland.
Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) is the national broadcaster of Ireland headquartered in Donnybrook, Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on 31 December 1961, making it one of the oldest continuously operating public service broadcasters in the world. RTÉ also publishes a weekly listings and lifestyle magazine, the RTÉ Guide.
Raidió Teilifís Éireann Commercial Enterprises is the commercial arm of Ireland's public service broadcaster RTÉ or Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ CEL is run independently from RTÉ as a whole owned subsidiary of the company, in similar way to BBC Studios, owned by RTÉ's British counterpart BBC. In 1999 it divested RTÉ of its 40% share of Cablelink. During the 1990s it had great success with Riverdance. It owns and publishes The RTÉ Guide, www.rte.ie and numerous spin off publications from RTÉ shows. It had an interest in Tara TV.
Saorview is the national digital terrestrial television (DTT) service in Ireland. It is owned by RTÉ and operated by 2RN.
Easy TV was a consortium that were offered a licence by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) to run the pay television services on the DTT platform in the Republic of Ireland. It was last one standing and least preferred in the 2008 contest results.
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) was established on 1 October 2009 effectively replacing the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI).
Digital terrestrial television in Bulgaria began on November, 2004 in Sofia, Bulgaria with the launch of a free-to-air platform. Ever since then the Digital terrestrial tv network has grown to have networks all over Bulgaria.
