DTT organisation issues digital switchover guide

The only broadcast industry organisation promoting digital terrestrial television (DTT) and protecting broadcast spectrum for broadcasters, DigiTAG, has issued a new guide to digital switchover. According to the organisation, the document provides an extensive overview of the primary regulatory, business and technical issues that must be addressed for a successful digital switchover process.

In addition, it explores strategies for analogue switch-off, as well as some of the key topics national administrations will need to consider in the next few years, such as the allocation of the digital dividend, spectrum sharing and the impact of mobile broadband services on the DTT platform.

Lieven Vermaele, president of DigiTAG and director of technology and innovation at the EBU, commented: “The status of digital switchover varies around the world. This new DigiTAG Guide seeks to help those countries beginning the process learning from the experiences of those countries having completed switchover.

“The new DigiTAG Guide also provides insight into the frequency management issues that national administrations will need to consider over the next few years. National administrations must provide clarity on their plans for the use of UHF spectrum and how the decisions they make will impact the DTT platform. It is only with the guarantee of continued spectrum availability that it will be possible for broadcast service providers to invest in the future development of the DTT platform. The coming years will provide many new opportunities and challenges on the DTT platform. To succeed in the long-term, the DTT platform must retain its flexibility and agility.”

For a copy of the new Guide to DTT Switchover, visit www.digitag.org