Translation of "Décodeur de son multicanaux " (French → English) :

Mediaset maintains that there have been no unnecessary distortions of competition because (i) discrimination is simply the result of Sky's business choices; (ii) terrestrial television carries local channels, whereas 80 % of local programmes are not carried by satellite TV because local channels' revenue is not sufficient to support the cost of transmission (satellite is not comparable to free-to-air broadcasting); and (iii) there is only market failure as regards DTT decoders and not satellite decoders. This is because satellite is based on a subscription fee system and can recoup the costs of providing decoders to its own customers a ...[+++]nd because Sky, as a monopolist, is not subject to the free riding problem.

This type of technology is a proprietary, closed technology because unlike common interface decoders, access to NDS decoders requires provision of access to the technology or to certain components of the decoders.

The subsidies in question provided Mediaset and Telecom Italia with a threefold advantage: first, since access to DTT decoders and to DTT broadcasters are complementary, the reduced price of decoders led to increased demand for both decoders and broadcasters — indeed it is only to be expected that DTT broadcasters would install a base for their platform, just as Sky did, incurring costs that they have not yet recouped — and the subsidies helped DTT operators to convince consumers to change over to their new television offer.

lower sale prices for digital receivers and integrated television receivers; Price is increasingly becoming less of a barrier to acquiring such equipment.

(o)‘enhanced digital television equipment’ means set-top boxes intended for connection to television sets or integrated digital television sets, able to receive digital interactive television services.

(o) "enhanced digital television equipment" means set-top boxes intended for connection to television sets or integrated digital television sets, able to receive digital interactive television services.