DigiTAG Country update
The August 2008 Web Letter from The Digital Terrestrial Action Group (DigiTAG), gives a comprehensive overview of the Digital Terrestrial Television situation in Macedonia.
The item can be accessed by clicking on following source link.
Source: DigiTAG  August08 Web Letter
Item added: 1st September 2008

DTT trial successful
On.net reports that its DTT trial, covering the capital Skopje, is proving to be very successful.
The trial, currently using MPEG-2, provides potential coverage to 160,000 households. Shortly MPEG-4 AVC coding will be tested to increase the spectrum efficiency.
On.net, 87% owned by Telekom Slovenije since March 2006 plans to offer 50 TV programmes, 50 radio programmes and datacast including a 7-day EPG on four DVB-T multiplexes to all territories of Macedonia.
On.net has a temporary DVB-T trial licence issued by AEC (Agency for Electronic Communication) but owing to the success of the present trial it has entered into collaboration with Policy makers, Regulatory bodies and the Content industry to start a pilot project to enable the possibility of developing clear and appropriate national strategies for analogue switch off (ASO) in the Republic of Macedonia.
The pilot project could be the catalyst that would enable the ASO/DTT implementation date to be brought forward to 2008, 7 years earlier than the current 2015 plan.
Source: Predrag Cemerikic, CEO On.net Macedonia.
Item added: 21st June 2007

Background

According to information supplied by the Broadcasting Council for the Republic of Macedonia (SRD), the country began its first experimental DTT transmissions on 14 December. Employing a 100W transmitter owned by Public Enterprise "Macedonian Broadcasting" and supplied by IMP (Slovenia), along with coders and multiplex from Tandberg, they are distributing public broadcaster MRTS’s three channels and a satellite service to Skopje and surrounding area.

The possibility of transmitting in two or more languages on one video signal is seen as a distinct advantage in the country, where aside from Macedonian 25% of the population speak Albanian. Although the public is being given the to opportunity watch the DTT transmissions in retail outlets in Skopje, there is still no strategy for DTT and therefore unclear when a commercial service will be launched.
Sources: www.digitag.org  and Broadband TV News

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Last page update: 1st September 2008, Barry Tew