PRESS RELEASE: CTU has a new Chair. Marek Ebert considers the sustainability of DVB-T2, the selection of the postal licence holder and the promotion of availability and quality of new networks and services as his priorities

Prague, 01 February 2023 - On 1 February 2023, Marek Ebert took office as the new CTU Council Chair. He was appointed by the Government on 19 October 2022. The new Chair was inaugurated by the Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela, who met with the CTU Council on this occasion.  At the subsequent press conference, the Minister spoke about his expectations and the new Chair spoke about his priorities for his term of office. They agreed to take an active approach to the DVB-T2 issue, to prepare a transparent selection of a new postal licence holder, to support the development of digital radio and modern networks for fast internet VHCN and 5G, or to continue to focus intensively on consumer protection issues.

The priorities of both institutions include close cooperation, for example in the implementation of subsidies from the National Recovery Plan, in the discussion of the so-called "technical amendment" to the Electronic Communications Act or in the review of the postal market and the preparation of selection procedure for the postal licence holder. The completion of the review of relevant markets, the update of the Spectrum Management Strategy, and cooperation on the preparation of the amendment to the Postal Services Act shall be other priorities for CTU. Under the leadership of the new CTU Council Chair, CTU will also focus on assessing how number portability and the switching of Internet access service providers are working.

„It is crucial for me that the Office under my leadership is transparent, credible and predictable in its decisions. Open and regular communication to the professional public, in which I include also consumer organisations, is also important to me. I consider a transparent and predictable regulatory environment to be one of the basic prerequisites for the sustainable development of the electronic communications sector, investment decisions by operators and the availability of quality services for consumers," said Marek Ebert.

"I consider it relevant that CTU plays the role of an independent regulator that transparently oversees market players and supports the development of the importance of digital economy sector in the Czech Republic. I believe that the new CTU Council Chair, Marek Ebert, will restore the CTUs credibility and that under his leadership CTU will professionally fulfil its service to citizens, whether it concerns the sustainability of DVB-T2 television broadcasting, the postal market or the promotion of competition in the mobile market," said Minister Jozef Síkela.

Press Unit
Czech Telecommunication Office
Tereza Meravá