According to the draft proposal from the economic affairs and culture ministries, the plans should be finalised by April, in order to open applications for the licences in May. The new licence would run until February 2030, in the 470-790 MHz band, up to the edge of the spectrum reserved for mobile services. The licenceholder will be expected to ensure a smooth transition with Digitenne and offer a similar level of coverage, with a minimum 25 TV and radio channels. While no technology has been set, the government has said previously it prefers DVB-T2.
In response, KPN said the government's timeframe is too short. The operator wants its current licence extended by two years, in order to ensure a smooth transition. The government had previously considered this plan, but late last year another, unnamed candidate for the licence emerged. KPN added that it supports the move to DVB-T2, which offers room for more channels, and in HD. This will also be needed when the 700 MHz band is opened to mobile services from 2020. However, the upgrade will require all network equipment to be replaced and new receivers for all subscribers.
KPN reported at the end of 2015 381,000 customers for Digitenne and its analogue TV services. That compares to over 1.8 million subscribers for KPN's IPTV services.
