Arqiva: Difference between revisions
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The [[Broadcasting Act 1990]] split the IBA into three bodies. The [[Independent Television Commission]] (ITC) regulated commercial TV and the [[Radio Authority]] (RA) regulated commercial radio. The IBA's engineering division, which operated the transmitters as well as doing research and development, became a company called [[National Transcommunications Limited]] (also known as Transcom). At this point, technical standards regulation, previously carried out in accordance with the IBA engineering "Code of Practice", seems to have disappeared from the regulatory landscape. |
The [[Broadcasting Act 1990]] split the IBA into three bodies. The [[Independent Television Commission]] (ITC) regulated commercial TV and the [[Radio Authority]] (RA) regulated commercial radio. The IBA's engineering division, which operated the transmitters as well as doing research and development, became a company called [[National Transcommunications Limited]] (also known as Transcom). At this point, technical standards regulation, previously carried out in accordance with the IBA engineering "Code of Practice", seems to have disappeared from the regulatory landscape. |
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===CableTel and NTL=== |
===CableTel, Simoco and NTL=== |
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Transcom was acquired by International CableTel Inc., which subsequently built its brand around the NTL name. It ran up huge debts during the [[dot-com boom]] which crippled the company for many years. In 1998, NTL aquired the UK branch of Simoco, a PMR company formed from Phillips PMR. In 2004, NTL sold its 'broadcast unit' to Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group. |
Transcom was acquired by International CableTel Inc., which subsequently built its brand around the NTL name. It ran up huge debts during the [[dot-com boom]] which crippled the company for many years. In 1998, NTL aquired the UK branch of Simoco, a PMR company formed from Phillips PMR. In 2004, NTL sold its 'broadcast unit' to Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group. |
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Revision as of 12:27, 4 January 2010
| File:Arqiva.png | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Headquarters | , |
| Services | Transmissions |
| Parent | Macquarie Group |
| Website | www.arqiva.com |
Arqiva is a telecommunications company which provides infrastructure and broadcast transmission facilities in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The present company was formed by National Grid Wireless (originally the UK subsidiary of Crown Castle) combining with Arqiva (formerly NTL Broadcast) in September 2008. Its main customers are broadcasters and mobile phone network operators, and its main asset is a network of over 1,000 radio and television transmission sites. It has been owned by the Australian investment house Macquarie Bank since 2004.[1]
Arqiva's headquarters are located in Crawley, Hampshire.
History
Independent Television Authority (ITA)
The organisation's roots date back to the earliest dates of commercial television (ITV) in the UK. The Television Act 1954 gave birth to the Independent Television Authority (ITA). The ITA appointed and regulated a number regional programme contractors, and built and operated a network of transmitters.
Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA)
The Sound Broadcasting Act 1972 created legal commercial radio in the UK for the first time. It was modelled on ITV, in that programmes were made by local contractors while the regulator, renamed the Independent Broadcasting Authority, owned the transmitters.
ITC, RA and Transcom
The Broadcasting Act 1990 split the IBA into three bodies. The Independent Television Commission (ITC) regulated commercial TV and the Radio Authority (RA) regulated commercial radio. The IBA's engineering division, which operated the transmitters as well as doing research and development, became a company called National Transcommunications Limited (also known as Transcom). At this point, technical standards regulation, previously carried out in accordance with the IBA engineering "Code of Practice", seems to have disappeared from the regulatory landscape.
CableTel, Simoco and NTL
Transcom was acquired by International CableTel Inc., which subsequently built its brand around the NTL name. It ran up huge debts during the dot-com boom which crippled the company for many years. In 1998, NTL aquired the UK branch of Simoco, a PMR company formed from Phillips PMR. In 2004, NTL sold its 'broadcast unit' to Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group.
Macquarie
In January 2005, Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group renamed its new subsidiary Arqiva.
Inmedia
Arqiva acquired Inmedia Communications from the Carlyle Group for £68.5 million in July 2005 to form the new Satellite Media Solutions business unit. Inmedia was owned by Kingston Communications and known as Kingston inmedia before being bought by the Carlyle Group in 2004.
BT Broadcast
Arqiva announced the signing of a Sale & Purchase Agreement (SPA) with BT to acquire the full-time service components of BT’s Satellite Broadcast Services business for £25 million in cash in November 2006. The deal will include long-term customer contracts, operations and personnel located in the USA, France, Italy and the Netherlands, as well as the UK. Deal completion is subject to regulatory approval in the UK and Germany.
National Grid Wireless
National Grid Wireless was originally the UK subsidiary of Crown Castle, formed from the domestic transmitter network of the BBC, which was privatised in 1997. The company was purchased by National Grid plc on 31 August 2004 and renamed National Grid Wireless on 11 October 2005.
Arqiva purchased National Grid Wireless on 3 April 2007 for £2.5billion.[2] The company planned to run NGW as a separate company – Macquarie UK Broadcast Ventures Ltd – pending review of the deal by competition regulators. Regulatory agreement was reached in late 2008 and National Grid Wireless was almagamated into Arqiva. The new company employs around 2000 people and operates all the TV (analogue and Digital) and most of the radio stations (BBC national and local and many commercial stations). It is deemed to be a monopoly operator and as such is regulated by OFCOM.[3]
National Grid Wireless led a consortium bidding for the second UK national DAB multiplex licence, but was unsuccessful. The licence was awarded instead to 4 Digital Group in July 2007.[4]
OneVision Irish DTT License application
On 1 May 2009, Fintan Drury chairperson of the OneVision consortium made up of TV3 Group, Arqiva, Eircom and Setanta Sports. announced that OneVision is to enter negotiations with the BCI) with the view to takeover operations of the pay DTT service [5]. 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 [6]. For more one OneVision see article One Vision (DTT).
Notable transmitter sites
See also
- Digital One (A joint venture with GCap Media providing UK DAB - wholly owned by Arqiva since 11 February 2008)
- RTÉ Network Limited in the Republic of Ireland
- Freeview
- VT Communications (Formerly Merlin Communications, formed from privatisation of BBC World Service transmitter sites.)
References
- ^ "Macquarie buys digital bidder". Retrieved 2007-04-04.
- ^ "Arqiva and National Grid Wireless to create unfied UK communications infrastructure - Arqiva.com". Retrieved 2007-04-04.
- ^ [1] Reuters news report (retrieved April 3rd 2007)
- ^ "Channel 4 wins radio multiplex bid - MediaGuardian.co.uk". Retrieved 2008-01-08.
- ^ http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/onevision-sets-sights-on-paidfor-tv-project-1726759.html
- ^ http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2009/0501/1224245754008.html
- Pawley, Edward (1972). BBC Engineering 1922–1972. London, BBC. ISBN 0-563-12127-0
- Shacklady, Norman and Ellen, Martin (2003). On Air: A History of BBC Transmission. Wavechange Books. ISBN 0-9544077-1-7 (paperback) ISBN 0-9544077-0-9 (hardback).