Advanced Television

DSO

Croatia to switch to DVB-T2 by 2020

After the analogue switch-off in December 2010, Croatian TV viewers will once again have to upgrade their equipment in order to continue receiving terrestrial TV. Croatia is planning to switch to a second generation DTT network (DVB-T2) by 2020, in order to redistribute part of the radio-frequency spectrum for mobile broadband, in line with EU […]

February 25, 2015From Branislav Pekic in Rome

Kenya DSO stand-off goes to court

It is already been described locally as the “digital stand-off” but the bitter dispute between a trio of analogue broadcasters in Kenya, and regulator Communication Authority of Kenya (CA), will be heard in a Kenyan court room today (February 25th). The CA was last week given five days to respond to the suit by activist […]

February 25, 2015By Chris Forrester

Nigeria denies missing ITU DSO deadline

Despite claims made in Kenya that up to 40 African nations will miss the ITU’s analogue switch-off deadline of June 17th, officials in Nigeria have stated unequivocally that Nigeria will be broadcasting completely in digital by June. Pay-TV broadcaster StarTimes said the nation, and its bouquets, are ready for digital broadcasting. StarTimes now have 4 […]

February 24, 2015By Chris Forrester

Confusion over ITU “extension” to African DSO

The ITU is reported to be permitting 30 African countries to slip past its ‘absolute deadline’ of June 30th this year to switch off analogue TV transmissions. According to Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper, the date extensions apply to some major African nations not least Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. An ITU spokesman, speaking exclusively to […]

February 23, 2015By Chris Forrester

North Korea completes DSO

North Korea’s adoption of digital terrestrial TV and HDTV is now complete. The last transmitter was switched over on February 9th.  Standard definition transmissions have also ceased. The country’s state-backed broadcaster Korean Central Television’s transmissions are now only available in digital HDTV terrestrially and on satellite (from Thaicom 5). BBC Monitoring is reporting that North […]

February 11, 2015By Chris Forrester

Uganda: 3 months deadline for DSO

Uganda’s Communications Commission (UCC) has issued a “final warning” to the country’s citizens that in barely 3 months it would be switching off its analogue TV transmissions.  The nation has a huge uphill task given that there are only an estimated 300,000 digital STBs in use, and some 4.7 million TV homes still to be […]

January 28, 2015By Chris Forrester

Kyrgyz Republic accelerates DSO with Eutelsat

Eutelsat Communications has signed a multi-year agreement with RPO RMTR, the public broadcaster of the Kyrgyz Republic, that will accelerate the country’s switch to a fully digital broadcasting environment. RPO RMTR is using the high-power service area of the Eutelsat 70B satellite to broadcast a free-to-air platform of national channels to DTT towers and direct […]

January 27, 2015

Philippines DSO will slip dramatically

Reports out of Manila suggest that the Philippines will badly miss the June 2015 ITU-mandated digital switchover.  The country’s National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) admits that it might not even make a 2020 date. Alvin Bernard Blanco, chief of the NTC’s Broadcast Services Division, told local press that the switch-over could take another 5-10 years, and […]

January 21, 2015By Chris Forrester

BNE: UHF strategy should have DTT at its core

Following the release of draft opinions by the Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG) on the future of the UHF band in the EU and on the Common Policy Objectives for WRC (World Radio Conference), Broadcast Network Europe (BNE) – trade organisation for Terrestrial Broadcast Network Operators for Radio and TV in Europe – is continuing […]

January 12, 2015By Colin Mann

UK DAB set for expansion

Digital Audio Broadcasting in the UK is set to expand following an agreement between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the BBC, broadcast infrastructure provider Arqiva, and the Multiplex Operators jointly to fund the expansion costs of extending the local DAB network towards commercial ILR FM equivalence. Dates have also been set out […]

January 9, 2015By Colin Mann