R1 RUSSIAN TV Switching Off 2017

[VK3ZAZ]

Russia to complete analogue switch-off in 2017

Andrew Katolo | November 14, 2012 | Subscribers Only






According to Russian transmission company, RTRS, analogue switch-off (ASO) will be completed not sooner than in 2017. It is currently in consultation with industry groups over its plans.

According to the transition plan approved by the authorities in 2009, 98.8 per cent of Russia's population should be able to watch 20 digital channels by 2015. ASO may start in some regions in 2014. The condition for switching off analogue broadcast is a minimum 95 per cent of homes in the region with digital set top boxes. Additionally, analogue terrestrial TV may be switched off no sooner than 18 months after DTT reaches coverage of 97.6 per cent of the population and minimum six months after launch of DTT multiplex 2.

The results of the tender for DTT channel licences for multiplex 2 will be known in December 2012. Multiplex 2 is planned to launch in 2013 and to cover 42.5 per cent of population by the end of 2013.

Currently, multiplex 1, operated by RTRS, covers 40.7 per cent of population broadcasting eight channels: public Rossiya 1, Rossiya 2, Rossiya K, Rossiya 24, Pyervyi, and Karusel and private: Channel 5, and NTV. Out of 4,900 transmitters needed in Russia, 1,400 have been already built and 1,200 are under construction.

DTT launched in Russia in 2009 in DVB-T standard, but in 2011 the authorities decided to continue the DTT roll-out in DVB-T2. The networks in the regions where DVB-T already launched will be upgraded to the newer technology. According to the transition plan, digitisation will cost Ru122.4bn ($3.9bn), including Ru76.4bn from the state budget. An international agreement signed in 2006 in Geneva called for digital switch-over process to be completed by 2015.


The 2009 version of Russia's transition plan concluded that it might not be possible to fulfil the Geneva agreement, even in the crucial areas situated at the country's borders with other countries. Currently the authorities are planning to accelerate roll-out in these areas in order to avoid interference with digital signals from abroad. Since 2009 the transition plan has been modified for a few times as more problems occurred with rolling out the DTT network. Among others it was initially planned that by the end of 2012, just under 100 per cent of population would be covered by DTT broadcasts and 25 per cent of the population will be able to receive 20 DTT channels.

The decision about continuing roll-out in DVB-T2, although helping Russia to save money on upgrade, considerably affected the transition schedule with regions where DVB-T already launched, required to prepare transition to the newer standard. DVB-T2 launch may be postponed in the regions where a high number of DVB-T receivers have been purchased. With the delays that have occurred so far, it remains uncertain if 2017 is a realistic deadline for ASO in Russia. Apart from the network roll-out much will depend on the information campaign, as well as subsidies. An information campaign is now planned to fully start next year with the budget Ru1.2bn to 2015. None of four satellites, Express AM 5-8, planned to support to support DTT broadcasts, has yet launched.

Interestingly, some countries which like Russia launched DVB-T MPEG-4 compression format (e.g. Lithuania, Poland) currently do not plan any upgrade to DVB-T2. The DVB-T standard enables HDTV, as well as a relatively high number of channels in the offer. In Lithuania there are now 43 DTT channels, including three in HD. In 2013 the country is planning to launch three more multiplexes bringing the number of channels to over 60.

With 2017 as the deadline for ASO completion Russia is likely be the last country in Europe to switch off analogue. Some countries in Eastern Europe - Serbia, Bosnia and Moldova - although they are planning ASO completion before end of 2015, haven't yet prepared any transition plan. EU members Bulgaria and Romania will not manage to complete ASO before the EU-recommended deadline of 2012. Romania which postponed ASO from 2012 to 2014 with public consultation on transition plan, is now preparing a DTT tender. Bulgaria, after the results of DTT tender were questioned by the European Commission, has put off its ASO deadline to 2015, intending to call a DTT tender in 2014.