Republic of Azerbaijan Audivisual Council of the
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Infrastructure operator

Under the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Media”, an infrastructure operator is a state-owned body that ensures the technical retransmission of audiovisual programs via its base terrestrial broadcasting networks, using radio frequencies allocated by the Audiovisual Council.

The infrastructure operator enters into an agreement with an audiovisual media entity that holds one of the terrestrial broadcasting licenses (nationwide terrestrial television broadcaster license, regional terrestrial television broadcaster license, nationwide terrestrial radio broadcaster license, regional terrestrial radio broadcaster license), provides terrestrial transmission of the entity’s programs in line with its license, and in return receives service fee in the amount prescribed by Article 29.4 of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Media”.

The infrastructure operator is not entitled to provide users with paid retransmission services. Paid retransmission services may be provided to users by multiplex and platform operators. The infrastructure operator has the right to provide signal transmission services to multiplex and platform operators, as well as to the satellite operator, by charging a service fee in the amount specified by the Board of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport.

Thus, an infrastructure operator with an extensive broadcasting network of radio and television transmission stations throughout the country carries out activities in the following areas:

  • §  Provision of free-to-air analogue terrestrial radio broadcasting in the FM band;
  • §  Provision of free-to-air digital terrestrial radio broadcasting in the DAB+ standard;
  • §  Provision of free-to-air digital terrestrial television broadcasting in DVB-T and DVB-T2 standards;
  • §  Provision of uplink services in DVB-S and DVB-S2 standards to transmit via satellite the radio and television programs of broadcasters holding the relevant licenses from the Audiovisual Council;
  • §  Provision of services for the organization of retransmission packages of multiplex and platform operators holding the relevant licenses from the Audiovisual Council;

§   Organization of satellite communication.In accordance with paragraph 2.8 of the Decree No. 1589 of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, dated 8 February 2022, the “Radio-Television Broadcasting and Satellite Communication” Production Association of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport (currently the “Radio-Television Broadcasting and Satellite Communication” LLC (“Teleradio” LLC)), operating under the public legal entity “Azerbaijan Transport and Communication Holding” (AZCON)) is the infrastructure operator.