(Telecompaper) The Dutch ministry of economic affairs is holding a public consultation until the end of July on the future of free-to-air TV. The current DVB-T licences will expire 31 January 2017, and the government aims to take a decision in early 2015 on what to do with the associated spectrum. KPN operates the DTT service through its subsidiary Digitenne, and the public broadcaster NPO also holds licences for DVB-T. Digitenne offers 29 TV channels and 23 radio stations, and KPN offers the service under its own name as well as to wholesale customers. Analogue TV was ended in 2006. The government wants to offer clarity to the market well before the 15-year licences expire, but noted there's no decision yet on whether free-to-air TV is still needed. It could follow the international trend of devoting part of the UHF band, notably 700 MHz frequencies, to mobile broadband.