Ofcom to Deregulate UK Pay TV Restriction

Dow Jones reports that U.K. telecommunications regulator Ofcom said that it intends to deregulate the current rules restricting pay TV channels from being broadcast on Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), commonly known as Freeview.

DTT is transmitted on television multiplexes which are licensed by Ofcom under the Broadcasting Act 1996. Three of the six multiplex licences (multiplexes B, C and D) contain a requirement that all the channels they carry must be free-to-air, Ofcom said.

Since 2002, DTT has developed rapidly and over six million households now receive a wide choice of programming, on both free-to-air and pay channels. Digital television has also developed significantly on other platforms such as satellite, cable and broadband and almost 18 million U.K. households now watch digital television, Ofcom said.

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