Advanced Television

RTE plans for Saorview DTV service

January 27, 2010

Plans for Ireland's new digital television service, to be called Saorview, are moving ahead, with RTE appointing a company to test receivers for the new signal. The state broadcaster is continuing with plans for its DTT service, even though the commercial side of the project has yet to be agreed. Saorview is likely to become a household name when the old analogue television signal – which is received via aerials – is switched off in 2012. Television viewers will then either switch to Saorview or sign up to an operator such as Sky or UPC for a paid for service.

Saorview will be a free public service giving viewers access to RTE 1, RTE 2, TV3, TG4 and several other channels. However, the plan is that a commercial operator will also operate on DTT, so that customers can obtain paid-for extras, such as movie packages.

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, DTT/DSO