Advanced Television

DTT/DSO

Italy to get third PPV DTT platform in 2008

From Branislav Pekic in Rome After Mediaset Premium and La7Carta Più, Italy will get a third pay-per-view digital terrestrial platform in 2008. The Pangea project is backed by the former CEO of Spanish private broadcaster Antenna 3, Maurizio Giunco. Unlike the existing two, Pangea is not a proprietary but rather a multi-operator platform based on […]

December 17, 2007

Industry attack on TV operators over DTT

From David Del Valle in Madrid The Spanish electronic manufacturers have levelled fierce criticism at the TV operators for “their lack of interest” in developing DTT in the country. Jesus Casado, the vice president of the Electronic Association ASIMELEC, highlighted the concern of the industry for “the present situation of DTT”, asking for “clear objectives” […]

December 17, 2007

Ofcom unveils digital dividend auction

UK regulator Ofcom has outlined plans for an auction of the broadcast transmission spectrum that will be freed up by switching off the analogue TV signal in 2012. The freed-up spectrum will be suitable for ultra-fast wireless broadband, mobile television, more digital terrestrial TV channels, local TV, wireless microphones and low-power applications developed from wi-fi. […]

December 16, 2007

DTT to surpass 50% by 2010

From Branislav Pekic in Rome Digital terrestrial television has become Europe's second digital TV distribution platform, according to Italian consultancy e-Media Institute. According to data from June 2007, DTT was received in 25 million households in Western Europe, compared to 37 million satellite TV households. Digital cable and IPTV had respectively 13 million and 4 […]

December 5, 2007

TDA selects Eutelsat for DTT in Algeria

Eutelsat Communications has a contract for capacity on its Atlantic Bird 3 satellite with Télédiffusion d’Algérie (TDA) to broadcast Algeria’s national Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) package of television and radio channels. The launch of the new platform underpins the Algerian government’s objective to manage the transition of the country’s broadcasting sector into a fully digital […]

December 3, 2007

Top Up TV tops up channels

Top Up TV, which provides premium TV content on UK DTT platform Freeview is to offer subscribers programmes from National Geographic Channel and The SCI FI channel. The channels join recently announced additions The History Channel and Crime & Investigation Network. This will be the first time that all four channels will be available to […]

November 28, 2007

Hong Kong DTT: 2008

Hong Kong’s two domestic free television stations, Asia Television Limited and Television Broadcasts Limited, will phase in digital terrestrial television (DTT) services from December 31st. Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Frederick Ma said Hong Kong will be the first to adopt the national DTT transmission standard developed by the Mainland. The initial launch will […]

November 27, 2007

Digital TV growth forecast

Research published by Informa shows that nearly 54 million digital TV households will be added in 2007, bringing the global total to 239 million. The report forecasts that digital penetration of TV households will reach 22 per cent by year-end. The North American penetration rate will exceed 68 per cent, with Western Europe at 52 […]

November 27, 2007

Mediaset to launch two free DTT channels

From Branislav Pekic in Rome Mediaset has announced the launch of two new free-to-air digital terrestrial TV channels. Launching on November 30, Iris will be dedicated to cinema, theatre and opera. It will be able to count on a movie archive with more than 1,000 titles, but the schedule will also include sitcoms, TV series, […]

November 23, 2007

Multi HD channels for French DTT

From Sotires Eleftheriou in Paris The French broadcasting regulator CSA selected the projects submitted by TF1 and M6 for the two private sector HD channels on DTT, rejecting the projects from pay TV channel Canal+ and the project from the AB Groupe. The third available HD channel has been reserved for France 2. The CSA […]

November 22, 2007