The Government wants to guarantee that the terrestrial digital television (TDT) will come to all the Spanish in April, 2010, date in which all the chains will have to express exclusively with digital technology and leave the analogical one.

To assure this target, the Department of Industry studies the possibility of completing the coverage of the digital sign with the satellites use, before the difficulties of coming to isolated population nuclei with terrestrial waves and, especially, for the obstacles that the technical staff is finding to clean of illegal emission the space radioléctrico. These provoke interferences in the new digital transmissions, especially, in the big built-up areas.

According to sources expert in the process, responsible for Industry they have already maintained contacts with representatives of the autonomous regions to analyze the possible use of the satellites. The autonomies are responsible for the implantation of the new technology in his performance ambiences.

In April, 2010, the private televisions will have to come with his emission deprived to 96 % of the population, while the public ones must have a coverage of 98 %. These percentages are the same to which the analogical television comes now. According to the last information gathered by the Observatory of Impulsa TDT, 89,15 % of the Spanish had coverage of terrestrial digital television in his hearths last August.

The evolution of the coverage of the TDT in Spain is regulated by the National Technical Plan of the TDT and establishes a general calendar of enlargement that fixes the establishment of the same one in six phases. This plan was arranging that on July 31, 2008 the coverage of all the national and autonomic broadcasters had to be located in 88 %, a number that has already excelled itself.


Plans

Thus there have been completed the first three due phases of increase of the coverage. The next increase of the coverage is fixed for December 31, 2008, when the coverage of the TDT will have to reach 90 % of the population, and on July 31, 2009 it will have to have been extended up to 93 %.

In case, finally, it should be decided to complete the coverage across the satellite, the Government is provided with the options of Hispasat and Eutelsat, both informed by Abertis Telecom. This company is the manager of the diffusion of the sign of TDT for most of the chains that operate in Spain.


Sobrecoste

From the televisions, they trust that the sobrecoste that would represent the possible double use of terrestrial waves and satelitales for the emission of the sign it is compensated economically from the Administration. In any case, the use of the satellite appears like temporary solution, until the terrestrial coverage is completed.


(Expansion, 22/09/08)