In March Mario Monti's government announced it would sell a set of digital terrestrial television frequencies for as much money as it could raise.

ECONOMIST: Mediaset

The 700MHz frequency band, currently used by digital terrestrial television, will be opened up to mobile services by 2018 as part of a global plan to harmonise frequencies for mobile users.

BBC: Data jam threat to UK mobile networks

In Britain and Italy satellite also has to vie with attractive free digital-terrestrial television services.

ECONOMIST: News Corporation

In Japan, each of the 50 digital channels of terrestrial television in the UHF band is split into 13 segments.

ECONOMIST: America is finally poised to get mobile television

He has a passionate belief in the future of terrestrial digital television - strong enough to pitch himself against Rupert Murdoch and BSkyB with Ondigital.

BBC: Green keeps growing

Britain is currently the only country in the world to enable viewers to receive digital television through three different technologies: standard terrestrial television, cable and satellite.

ECONOMIST: Government and the Internet

The process, which will eventually affect all TV viewers in the UK, involves the conversion of the country's terrestrial television system to digital.

BBC: Dundee becomes Scotland's first 'digital city'

Digital television in Britain terrestrial, cable and satellite together will offer around 50 channels.

ECONOMIST: Digital follies