Russia’s Kosmos TV to shut down service after 20 years

Russia’s oldest pay TV service Kosmos TV, which broadcasts in the Moscow region is to shut down after the frequencies it uses to broadcast were awarded to telcos VimpelCom, Megafon and Rostelecom for LTE services.

Kosmos TV offers ‘basic’ and ‘elite’ packages and a number of thematic packages to subscribers in the Moscow region over MMDS using frequencies in the 2.5-2.7GHz range. Radio spectrum regulator the SCRF had already awarded some of the spectrum used by the broadcaster to telco Scartel for LTE services last year. The regulator more recently said that Kosmos TV would have to cease broadcasting if it interfered with LTE signals, a decision contested by the broadcaster. The case led to a settlement by which Kosmos TV will receive compensation from the telcos.

Kosmos TV has said it will assist subscribers in migrating to the service offered by Moscow city operator MGTS. Kosmos TV was originally launched as a joint venture between Metromedia International and RTRS in 1991, with Metromedia’s stake later being sold to AFK Sistema.