OneVision was a consortium that have been offered a licence by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland to run the pay television services on the DTT platform in the Republic of Ireland.
OneVision was managed through a consortium made up of telecommunications company Eircom (65%), Arqiva (25%), Setanta (10%) and TV3 Group held a nominal share.
OneVision had considered the feasibility of operating the commercial digital terrestrial television service after Boxer Ireland decided to withdraw from the contract due to the current economic climate in Ireland.
OneVision was unable to conclude negotiations with the BAI due to difficulties with the terms of RTÉ NL apparently regarding multiplexing, marketing for DTT and other issues. The licence offer has now been made to Easy TV (DTT) the third placed consortium that includes RTÉ and Liberty Global, who own the cable operator UPC. In the event that that consortia turn down or do not conclude licence with the BAI, then the licence contract terms may have to be revised to reflect these developments and the contest process restarted after some time or interventive direction by the Minister of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources on how pay DTT will proceed. If the Easy TV (DTT)consortia accept the BCI licence however, and conclude the contract with them, then the Pay DTT operation following successful contract negotiation with RTÉ NL it may launch by September 2010 or later with 2011 look more likely by the day either with a pay DTT operator or not
On May 4, 2008 Onevision announced that it would supply 6 channels for free alongside subscription based channels and the public service broadcasters
On May 1, 2009 Fintan Drury chairperson of the OneVision consortium announced that OneVision is to enter negotiations with the BCI) with the view to take over operations of the pay DTT service. If negotiations are deemed successful it may see the launch of DTT in late 2009/early 2010 at a proposed operation cost of €40 million. OneVision aspire to offer 23 channels coinciding with the free-to-air channels.
On May 9, 2009 as reported OneVision are likely to operate the pay DTT service. The official announcement will be made week beginning May 11–15, 2009.
On May 11, 2009 as reported OneVision are to operate the pay DTT service.
On July 9, 2009 it was confirmed that RTÉ will not launch its DTT service until other media partners are ready to launch the service. The original service was due to launch in September 2009.
On Friday, August 28, 2009 it was reported that the consortium behind One Vision are set to announce its future plans in September 2009. It was also reported that negotiations between BCI, RTÉ NL and One Vision (DTT) are progressing This however did not emerge later.
According to an article in The Sunday Business Post on September 20, 2009 both TV3 and Setanta are to take a lesser stake in Onevision. In the same article it stated that both Eircom and Arqiva are to increase their stake in the company. Such changes will only be granted based on regulations set out by the BCI. This could lead to further setbacks in the roll-out of DTT in Ireland. Also with the ongoing acquisition of Eircom by another company this could lead to further setbacks.
On Friday, November 20, 2009 Advanced Television.com reported that One Vision DTT have been given weeks to decide if they will sign off on the licence for 3 multiplexes for DTT with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland or not. If OneVision is not forthcoming in ironing out remaining issues regarding the licence it is possible the BAI withdraw the DTT Licence offer and may then offer the licence to Easy TV.If One Vision signs then commercial DTT contracts with the BAI & RTÉ, plans may become more public It would appear that the BAI is keen to avoid the long delay experienced with Boxer DTT Ireland.
On Friday, December 4, 2009 the Irish Times reported that progress has been made on the multiplexing annual costs that Onevision would pay RTÉ NL with a 20% reduction from €10 million to €8 million. However the security bond of €20 million is still a point of contention apparently and also a lack of commitment by the Irish Government to Analogue Switchover campaign marketing funding costs is also delaying sign-off. However, it seems OneVision are close to agreement, evident from the shareholding changes it proposes, if the security bond issue can be settled and the Government can give a commitment to a marketing contribution in a year’s time.
On Tuesday, December 22, 2009 the Irish Independent reported the latest developments in relation to Onevision. They report that Eircom will become the main shareholder in the company. It is expected that the consortium behind the television provider and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland will announce the companies future plans in March 2010.
Recent reports suggested that the future of One Vision would be decided upon at the BAI board meeting on Monday, March 29, 2010. This has transpired and the BAI have given One Vision 2 more weeks to indicate decisively whether or not One Vision will proceed to contract with the BAI and RTÉ. To aid in the resolution of remaining issues, the BAI has asked an independent 3rd party to review the documents regarding the issues (RTÉNL-One Vision negotiations) and to give its view (which will be non-binding on the parties), to it which it will communicate to the parties. The parties will then be required to give their final positions and One Vision will be required to agree those terms and proceed to contract completion or to indicate that it is not happy with the terms upon which the BAI is likely to close the contract licence with One Vision for non-completion and offer the licence to Easy TV.
On April 17, 2010 it was reported that crucial talks have broken down between the OneVision consortium and RTÉ on the basis of a number of issues such as DTT Promotion, multiplexing and the security bond, which a third party has reviewed and given their opinion. One Vision is to comment on the 3rd party’s review. It is a matter for the BAI to consider that view which it must receive by Wednesday April 21, 2010. It will then have to make a decision, to either instruct RTÉ to accept a compromise as regulator over them or to accept RTÉ Network’s position as valid and declare the One Vision negotiations unsuccessful and offer to Easy TV the licence and request some indication of its interest in same by Easy TV before its next Board meeting near the end of April 2010.
One Vision has apparently withdrawn its licence acceptance according to the print edition of the Irish Independent April 29, 2010, page 22 This follows an article also in the print edition of the Irish Independent on April 24, 2010 that it had queried why the independent adjudicator in the positions between One Vision and RTÉ Networks had not recommended a way forward. The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland has apparently offered the license to Easy TV, and apparently an RTÉ Spokesperson has confirmed that the Easy TV (DTT)Consortium has to consider its position on the offer in due course.
RTÉ NL propose a number of extra channel to be freely available unencrypted across the Republic of Ireland. These channels include the current Analogue services of RTÉ One, RTÉ Two, TV3 (Ireland) and TG4. In the Broadcasting Act 2009 the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources has (following the suggestion by former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and James Morris, the head of the Irish Film Board) provided for the establishment of 2 new public service broadcasters to provide services currently under the working titles of the Houses of the Oireachtas Channel and the Irish Film Channel. The Irish Film Channel will be owned and operated by the IFB/BSÉ.
It has been announced in mid January 2010 that RTÉ has appointed Teracom AB to conduct receiver compliance testing for Irish free-to-air (FTA) DTT receivers. Those receivers which pass the tests thereby meeting the Irish DTT specification will be eligible to be licensed to use RTÉ’s “Saorview” logo, which will confirm to consumers that the receiver is Irish FTA DTT compliant. RTÉNL will publish a full list of compliant DTT receivers on its web site.
Manufacturers/distributors wishing to use the Saorview logo will submit receivers to Teracom for testing. When a receiver passes the tests, it will then be eligible to be licensed by RTÉ to carry the Saorview logo.”
A November 1, 2010 FTA DTT launch is now on target following a direction from the Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources, to RTÉ and signing of the RTÉ (National Television Multiplex) Order 2010 (S.I. No. 85 of 2010) on February 26, 2010. The planned DTT information campaign is likely during Summer 2010 in advance of launch regardless of the outcome of the BAI commercial DTT negotiations. 90% coverage at launch is required of the RTÉ multiplex while the remainder of the country is to be covered by December 31, 2011 providing at minimum the 4 Irish terrestrial channels. This also tallies with RTÉNL proceeding with Irish DTT receiver certification announced in January 2010, following the selection of Teracom to conduct the tests and expansion of the network engineering tests during 2009.
Below are the possible channels, subject to change
RTÉ One
RTÉ One +1 (proposed channel)
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Three (proposed channel)
RTÉ News Now
RTÉ HD (proposed channel following analogue switchoff in 2012)
TV3
TG4
Irish Film Channel - unclear, current status, given economic downturn. However enshrined in Broadcasting Act 2009 as new broadcaster.
Houses of the Oireachtas Channel - unclear, current status, given economic downturn. However enshrined in Broadcasting Act 2009 as new broadcaster.
On 1 February 2010 the Republic of Ireland's Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan signed an agreement with the UK’s Ben Bradshaw. This agreement will enable viewers within Northern Ireland to watch RTÉ One, RTÉ Two and TG4 on a free-to-air basis as of 2012. The agreement between both jurisdictions will also guarantee that viewers within the Republic of Ireland will be able to view BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC Two Northern Ireland on the Republic of Ireland’s free-to-air service which is to debut in late 2010. A cross-border initiative has always been on the agenda for the Green Party in the Republic of Ireland. However, in recent days, a change has occurred such that BBC services are now to be offered in the Republic of Ireland on a ‘paid for’ basis and not the original free-to-air basis. This change has been referred to as a mistake between the MOU and press releases.
Basic Pack - €9.99 (Channel line-up and cost structure subject to change)
Setanta Ireland
3e (previously Channel 6)
BBC One Northern Ireland
BBC Two NI
BBC Three
BBC Four
CBBC
CBeebies
BBC World News
UTV
Channel 4 Northern Ireland
E4 Ireland
More 4
Film 4
Sky1
Living TV
Gold
Dave
Comedy Central (previously Paramount Comedy)
Nickelodeon
Nick Jr
MTV
Discovery Channel
Setanta Sports News (ceased broadcasting as of June 2009)
Ideal World
Gems TV
Setanta Sports Pack - €19.99 (Subject to change)
Setanta Sports 1
Setanta Sports 2 (ceased broadcasting as of June 2009)
Setanta Golf (ceased broadcasting as of June 2009)
Sky Sports Pack - €24.99
Sky Sports 1
Sky Sports 2
Sky Sports 3
Sky Movies Pack - €14.99
Sky Movies Premiere
Sky Movies Drama
Sky Movies Family
