Czechia

[CZ] Government has approved transition to the DVB-T2 standard

IRIS 2016-8:1/9

Jan Fučík

Česká televize

On 20 July 2016, the Czech government approved the strategy for the full transition of the digital terrestrial television to the DVB-T2 new broadcast standard.

The strategy envisages that the process of transition to DVB-T2 will be launched in autumn 2016, accompanied by an information campaign. On 1 February 2021, all existing DVB-T networks will be switched off synchronously. According to the government’s strategy, an evaluation of the realisation of the transition to DVB-T2 has to be submitted each year on 31 January. The first evaluation should be submitted by 31 January 2017. In the assessment of 31 January 2020, information on the coverage of the population should be presented, so that the government can consider the possibility of extending the deadline for the completion of the transition to DVB-T2. The proposed deadlines are designed to be socially-respectful with regard to household expenditure.

The Association of mobile network operators (APMS) welcomed the adoption of the strategy, as this will release the 700 MHz band for broadband mobile data services. The 700MHz band should be partly reclaimed in 2020 by local mobile operators for LTE mobile networks. Terrestrial digital television broadcasting in the Czech Republic is the only way of accessing free-access television broadcasting. At the same time, it is the most powerful platform for TV broadcasting in the Czech Republic, and is used by more than 60 per cent of households, and by 40 per cent of households as the sole source of TV broadcasts.

After reaching the development goals and the successful transition to DVB-T2 broadcast standard, six nationwide DVB-T2 networks will broadcast digital terrestrial TV in the Czech Republic.