Regional DTT channel may be added
Russia’s first DTT multiplex may be enhanced by the addition of a regional channel reports Broadband TV News.
According to AKTR and ComNews, Minkomsvazi, the Governmental Commission for Broadcasting Development, has requested amendments to the presidential decree on the composition of the multiplex and would like them implemented by October.
This change would ensure that the eight national channels already selected for the multiplex would be joined by a ninth, regional service.
The addition of a regional channel is likely to result in the removal of three radio stations from the first multiplex.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 16th August 2010
Kaliningrad prepares for DVB-T
A new 129 meter high transmission mast is now being built in Bolschakovo as part of the plan to bring DTT to Kaliningrad by the end of 2010. To maximise DTT coverage a further 11 smaller transmitters are planned to cover the whole of Kaliningrad area.
The free-to-air DVB-T service will consist of Channel One, five channels from the All-Russia State Television and Radio Company (Rossiya, the news channel Vesti, Kultura, Sport and the kids channel Bibigon) as well as Gazprom’s NTV and Channel 5 from St Petersburg. Also included are three radio stations, Radio Rossiya, Majak and Vesti FM.
In addition to these national channels, a local channel for the Kaliningrad region is planned. At launch the service should have a potential reach of at least 90% of the population. About 430,000 people live in the area.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 28th June 2010
Regional Broadcasters want DTT carriage
Regional broadcasters have expressed an interest in joining the DTT platform but are being discouraged by the Ministry of Communication which wants them to use other distribution networks such as DVB-H and IPTV. The regional broadcasters are said to be strongly opposed to this and would like capacity to be made available on the second or third multiplex or even the first multiplex which is already fully allocated.
The regional broadcasters believe they would secure additional ad revenues through DTT distribution, though the Russian ad market is only just starting to recover from the downturn, with TV spend this year expected to total $5 billion (€4.08 billion).
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 24th May 2010
Digital switchover continues in Russia
DTT services are already being launched in the Khabarovsk Territory along the border with China, according to Communications Minister Igor Shchegolev and will also be launched in five regions including St Petersburg, Moscow and Kaliningrad during 2010.
One multiplex will be available offering free-to-air DTT services. Analogue switch-off is expected to be completed by 2015.
Source: Rapid TV News
Item added: 24th May 2010
DTT STB deal for Russia
DTT receivers in Russia are to be manufactured by Almaz Antey Thomson Broadcast (AATB), a joint venture between Thomson Broadcast (49% stake) and the Russian company Almaz-Antey (51% stake).
The joint venture was formed in 2006 and will produce Set-Top Boxes in 6-7 sites across the country.
Russian Deputy Communication and Mass Media Minister Alexander Zharov is also reported as saying that the joint venture is well on the way to developing a digital transmitter and that a prototype has already been created. Production of DTT transmitters is expected to start in the autumn.
DTT services are set to roll out this year with an initial focus on areas with poor analogue television reception (i.e. Siberia and the Far East). One multiplex will offer viewers access to at least 8 free-to-air television programme services.
Source: Broadband TV News and Russiandefenseblogg
Item added: 10th May 2010
Free to air on MUX-1 guarantee
The Communications Ministry has submitted a bill to the Duma which would guarantees that the broadcast services available on the first DTT multiplex would be made available to all viewers free-of-charge regardless of the television delivery platform.
The services would include Channel One, Rossiya, Rossiya-2, Rossiya-Kultura, NTV and the Fifth Channel, as well as the radio services Mayak, Radio Rossiya and Vesti FM.
Operators who charge for these services risk losing their licences. However, they can charge a fee for the transmission of other television services such as CTC, TNT, Ren TV and MTV.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 30th April 2010
Vimpel DVB-H trial to be commercialised
The DVB-H trial operated by VimpelCom in Moscow, since 2009, is expected to have its commercial launch in April this year.
VimpelCom which is a subsidiary of Dominanta expects the DVB-H service to break even within five years.
During the trial news and music have proved to be the most popular services.
To receive the trial service users had to purchase a Samsung P960 but by the time of the full launch it is expected that up to five handsets will be on offer to consumers.
Main source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 22nd March 2010
The Russian Digital Plan
In a recent DVB-Scene article Dmitry Tkachenko, the head of research and development at the Mighty Apparatus for Radio Broadcasting and TV described the Russian plan for conversion to Digital TV.
Click to download DVB Scene 12.
Dmitry went on to describe the plan in more detail at the recent DVB World 2010 conference in Portugal.
Russia has a four stage plane to switch to all digital broadcasting and this is currently progressing with new regional networks being deployed in Kursk, and in the cities of Moscow, Petersburg, Kaliningrad and their surrounding regions.
The objective is to make available between 20 and 24 FTA DVB-T channels throughout the country. Currently in some cities 20 analogue channels are already available but those in rural areas are lucky if they can receive a single channel.
Numerically this means that three million people are served by only one channel and one million are without any TV service.
Although many of the pilot DTT services used MPEG-2 coding, Russia has now opted for MPEG-4 for all future DVB-T transmissions.
Analogue switch off is planned for 2015
Main source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 15th March 2010
DTT in Moscow and St Petersburg
Russia has begun a DTT trial in Moscow which includes an HD channel in its offer, reports Broadband TV News. Nine TV channels, one of which is Sport 2 HD, are available on the free to air UHF transmission. The official launch of the services on the 12th February coincided with the beginning of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
DTT services are also now available in the city of St. Petersburg. Viewers can access eight television programme services in standard-definition (SD).
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 15th February 2010
13 DTT services after ASO in 2015
Dmitry Severov, the deputy minister of communication and mass communication announced that the major population centres in Russia will be able to view 13 DTT channels after ASO in 2015. The news was released at the CSTB conference in Moscow.
He added that priority was being given to the development of digital broadcasting in remote locations which can only receive 2-3 channels at present.
Severov went on to say that viewers in large towns and cities will also be offered 3 HD and 10 mobile TV channels.
In line with the federal programme Siberia and the Far East will see the introduction of digital broadcasting later this year.
Main source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 8th February 2010
VimpelCom DVB-H service launched
Russian mobile operator VimpelCom has launched its trial DVB-H service in Moscow as expected.
The services are being made available free of charge to Beeline (VipelCom’s brand name) but subscribers have to purchase a Samsung P960 phone supporting the DVB-H standard and in the case of new customers a special simcard.
The service currently offers 10 channels, Channel One, Rossiya, Vesti24, NTV, St Petersburg Channel 5, Bibigon, GamelandTV, 7TV, Muz, RUTV and A1and can be received within the Moscow Ring Road. Service is not yet available in the metro.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 14th December 2009
First DVB-T DTT multiplex launched
Russia has launched its first DTT multiplex, in Siberia.
The service is being implemented by RSCC, the country’s national satellite communications operator and is in accordance with the Federal Target Programme Development of TV & Radio Broadcasting in the Russian Federation for 2009-2015.
The programme package is coded in MPEG-4, H.264.AVC at the Shabolovka Technical Centre and distributed by fibre optic link to the satellite up link station. The downlinked programmes are received and then distributed via DVB-T transmissions.
The programme package includes all must-carry public channels approved by a presidential decree signed in July this year
Main source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 14th December 2009
Costs for Digital Broadcasting announced
The Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has signed a federal programme paving the way for the country’s transition from analogue to digital broadcasting, reports Broadband TV News. Quoting reports in Kommersant and Lenta, the article goes on to say that the process, which is due to be completed by 2015, will cost R122.4 billion (€2.79 billion).
Some R60 billion (€1.37 billion) will be allocated towards the construction of a digital terrestrial network and R26 billion (€0.59 billion) towards satellites. The state will contribute R76.4 billion (€1.74 billion) towards the total, with the remainder being sourced from budgetary funds.
Russia plans to have three DTT multiplexes with simulcasting of analogue and digital programming continuing until 95% of the population has converted.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 7th December 2009
Moscow DVB-H trial for December
Russian Telco VimpelCom will start testing its mobile TV service in Moscow on the 7th December, reports Broadband TV News.
Attributing the source as Cableman, the item goes on to say that customers who purchase Samsung DVB-H enabled handsets will be able to watch the service free of charge in ‘test zones’ in the capital during the test period.
Eight federal channels, as well as a number of additional channels currently being negotiated, will be available.
VimpelCom’s subsidiary Dominanta is one of the three companies who have been awarded DVB-H licences for Moscow, the others are Digital Broadcasting and Centaur.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 30th November 2009
More Spectrum would reduce cost of DTT transition
The transition to digital broadcasting in Russia could prove much more costly than previously expected, reports Broadband TV News.
Quoting Cableman, it reports that the conversion of the frequency range to be used in the transition, scheduled for completion in 2015, is expected to be around R60 billion (€1.38 billion).
The cost up to 2012 alone is R34 billion and so far only R1.5 billion has been allocated.
One way of bringing down the costs is said to be, by utilising frequencies currently allocated to the military. At present only 2% of the frequencies available in Russia are allocated for civilian use, whereas in other parts of Europe the figure is closer to70%.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 2nd November 2009
DTT bids welcomed
According to a recent report on the Broadband TV News website, Russia welcomes bids from foreign companies who wish to participate in it’s digitisation process.
Quoted by RAI Novosti, Aleksandr Zharov, the country’s deputy minister of mass communications and telecommunications said ” that market conditions would apply, with foreign companies particularly encouraged to take part in tenders for transmitters”
Russia is undertaking the transition to digital broadcasting in two stages, with the first one due to be completed in 2011 and ASO set for four years later.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 14th September 2009
Mobile TV using DVB-H for Moscow
Subsidiaries of mobile operators Sistema, Vimpelcom and Skartela are to start mobile TV services using the DVB-H standard in Moscow, after being given permission from state institutions.
Retransmission of eight public TV channels is planned for the start of the service, which will initially be subject to a test period in certain areas of Moscow, according to Kommersant newspaper.
Moscow TV operators Dominanta, Kentavr and CTV are also participating in the project.
Source: Telecompaper
Item added: 24th August 2009
Eight Free to view TV channels on DTT
Russia’s President Medvedev has signed a decree that guarantees viewers will receive eight free TV channels and three free radio stations when the country completes its transition to digital broadcasting.
The free channels will be Channel One, Rossiya, Vesti 24, NTV, Kultura, Sports and Petersburg, Channel 5, as well as a new channel aimed at children and young people.
A single multiplex will be used with programmes coded using MPEG-4, (H.264. AVC) compression.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 6th July 2009
ASO on region by region basis
The Minister of Telecommunications and Mass Communications, Igor Shchegolev, has announced that analogue switch off will take place on a region-by-region basis beginning along the national borders, reports Broadband TV News.
The southeast border region will be the first to switch off followed by the western border region. ASO is planned for completion by 2015.
DTT services have not officially launched nationwide although several regions have launched services. The MPEG-4 AVC compression format is expected to be used.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 18th May 2009
Russian DTT Line Up
Russia has announced the make-up of its first DTT multiplex reports RBC.
The multiplex will carry Channel One, Rossiya, Vesti plus, Kultura, Sport, NTV, Fifth Channel and kids channel.
Radio channels, including radio Rossil, Mayak and Vesti FM will also be available.
The first multiplex and two further multiplexes, all offering free to view services, will be available later, bring the total number of channels to between 20 and 24.
Analogue switch off is planned for 2015.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 22nd December 2008
Discussions on DTV underway
High level meetings in which the President Mevedev and Prime Minister Putin participated have been taking place to discuss the future plans for DTV in the country reports Rapid TV News.
A system was proposed that would allow the simultaneous co-existence of digital and analogue TV for a suitable time period so that it would not infringe the interests of the population.
The proposal went on to say that the first stage of the transition should be to implement digital programmes in distant regions, primarily the Far East and border areas. It was also said that in addition to setting up ground based networks particular attention must also be given to the satellite delivery system, which was in need of renovation.
Construction of new satellites will start in 2010 and orbiting groups for digital broadcasting will be sent into space.
Source: Rapid TV News
Item added: 9th December 2008
Switchover programme delayed
Russia’s state funded digital switchover programme has been postponed. The planned launch of the programme in Q3 of 2008 is now likely to slip until the end of the year.
A key issue involved in the delay is a decision by the government over whether or not they will fund DTT receivers for all or for the poorest in the population, as recently suggested, or not at all.
DTT services are likely to launch using MPEG-4, AVC compression. Analogue switch off is planned for completion in 2015.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Item added: 9th September 2008
Government to support switch over programme
The Russian government expects to launch a state-funded programme to support the switch from analogue to digital TV broadcasting according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Vitaly Stytsko, deputy head of the Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communication is quoted as saying that the initial Russian idea was to supply the entire population with free digital equipment but that the plan currently being considered would only provide free equipment to the poorest groups.
The final plan is expected to be agreed by the Q3 of 2008 for a programme, which would achieve switchover by 2015.
Currently 88.5% of the population have access to analogue fee-to-air TV channels, 11% to cable networks and nearly 1% to satellite broadcasts.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Item added: 15th July 2008
Report on Digital Television in Russia released by EAVO
A major report on Digital television in Russia written by the European Audiovisual Observatory (EAVO) and edited by the Moscow based consultants Groteck Co Ltd. has just been released.
The report discusses in detail the previous make-up of the TV market in Russia and how it might progress in the future with the adoption of the DVB-T standard for digital terrestrial delivery. The comprehensive report is 155 pages long and a ‘must read’ for those interested in the Russian digital TV market.
The report can be accessed in English by clicking on the following link.
Digital Television in Russia
Versions in other languages can also be found on the main site.
Item added: 1st April 2008
HD on the DTT platform likely
Up to 15 HD channels may soon be available in Moscow, according to Gerasim Gadiyan, the general director of HDTV network channels, HD Media, reports Broadband TV News.
HD Media is currently trialling three channels, Perpetuum Mobile, Mir Estetiki and Terra Incognita, which are being made available free of charge. The TV programs are expected to be made generally available in April or May and are expected to be carried by cable, IPTV and the terrestrial platforms.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 11th February 2008
TV Broadcast licence issue, suspended
Russia is reported to have suspended the award of TV broadcasting licences until a new frequency distribution plan is fully in place, according to the Broadband TV News website.
The new plan is expected to be approved during the first half of 2008 and this should allow for the allocation of DTT licences to resume by the end of the year.
Recently, the First deputy Prime Minister, Dimitry Medvedev, approved Russia’s plan for the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting. In the plan analogue switch-off is set to occur in 2015.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 27th December 2007
Sistema goes ahead with DVB-H service
Sistema Mass Media (SSM) has asked Thomson to supply equipment for its new DVB-H mobile multimedia service.
The service is due to launch in Moscow and 16 other Russian cities (with populations over 1 million) in early 2008 and will deliver 16 channels in a single multiplex, and offer it to all mobile network operators.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 20th November 2007
Digital switchover plan approved
According to Broadband TV News the deputy Prime Minister Dimitry Medvedev is said to have approved the recent plan for Russia’s transition to digital broadcasting between 2008-2012.
It envisages providing all viewers in the country with 5 to 6 free-to-view national channels and one regional service by 2015, all using the DVB-T standard.
The plan now needs government approval before it can be actioned
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 14th November 2007
Russia looks at the digital transition
The Rossvyazokhrankuktura organisation has joined the Ministry of IT and Communications and Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network in producing plans for the transition to digital broadcasting in Russia, according to local reports.
The report which is likely to be submitted to the government commission on digital TV, envisages a cost of R235.4 billion (€6.63 billion), of which €57.2 billion would be provided by the state. Both of the two other plans include the provision of free set-top boxes while the plan from Rossvyazokhrankuktura’s goes further by also including plans for both cable TV services and FM broadcasting.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 23rd October 2007
More DVB-H services in 2008
The largest private sector consumer service company in Russia Sistema Mass Media, intends to launch DVB-H services in 16 Russian cites by 2008 according an article on the Russian Online daily Kommersant.
According to the article the DVB-H broadcasting system will be created in cooperation with South Korean SK Mobile and Deutsche Telekom T-systems. According to the quoted source the service will be launched in 2008 by the time of the Beijing summer Olympics.
Sistema is currently in the process of buying companies with frequencies for the digital broadcasts in the 16 cities, which have not yet been named.
Source: Kommersant
Item added: 28th November 2006
Nizhni Novgorod chosen as DTT pilot area
The conversion from analogue to digital TV in Russia is about to start and an interagency task force has been created to ensure the smooth transition to DVB-T throughout the federation.
The conversion process is expected to take 10 years during which time both analogue and digital TV will coexist.
Nizhni Novogorod will be used as a pilot area to determine what problems may be encountered in converting the whole of Russia. The local administration has pledged 1 billion roubles to help realise the program, which is planned for 2007.
Source: Rosbalt
Item added: 4th October 2006
DVB-H service to launch in Sverdlovsk
The first DVB-H service in Russia is set to be launched in the region of Sverdlovsk in April 2007. 15 TV channels will be on offer, some of which will be pay-per-view content or pay TV channels and the remainder free-to air.
Before the launch the service will be on trial in the city of Ekaterinburg from November to March 2007 during the pre-commercial period, using 100 DVB-H mobile phones, 50 DVB-H USB sticks plugged into laptops, 50 DVB-H SDIO receivers for PDA’s and 100 portable media players.
SIDSA will play a leading role in setting up these services.
Source: SIDSA
Item added: 18th September 2006
Mobile in Moscow
Last year DTB Ltd. started a brand new DVB-T service providing mobile TV signals to cars in the Moscow area.
Using a single 1kW transmiter from Rohde & Schwarz on channel 32, 95% of the city is being covered, according to the DTB website. In the near future an SFN will be used to extend the coverage to the surrounding areas of Moscow.
The service is initially aimed at luxury car owners and provides two channels, one with 24 hour news coverage and the other a high quality entertainment channel.
Source: DTB Ltd
Item added: 20th February 2006
Russian digital switchover
Svyatoslav Bunyaev, the deputy DG of the Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network (RTRN), has reiterated his view that the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting in the country will take place by 2009/10 according to a Newsline article in Advanced-Television.com. Opinions on the timing of the switchover are split, with 2015 being accepted by some as a more realistic date.
Source: Advanced-Television Central and Eastern Europe Nov 25th
Item added: 29th November 2005
Russia to go digital in 2007** See article above
Russia will start its transition to digital television in 2007 according to the Communications and IT minister, speaking on Friday November 11th 2005.
"We have developed a draft federal targeted program on the development of the necessary infrastructure, " Leonid Reiman is reported to have said by Novosti at a news conference in Moscow. "We are planning to adopt it next year and hope it will get the necessary financing in 2007"
The transition from analogue to digital TV is part of the draft program, the minister said.
Source: Novosti
Item added: 21st November 2005
Previous
Digital television to hit Russia in 10 years
In a recent "web Pravda" article dated Aprl 7th 2005 further details of the progress of digital TV in Russia are reported.
Deputy Minister for Information Technologies and Communications Boris Antonyuk is quoted as saying at one of the sessions of the Federation Council's Commission for information policy that the federal TV channels would be broadcast on digital satellite in 2005.
The report continued by giving some more details about the situation in Russia saying that by 2007, TV sets receiving analog and digital signals (together with setting of required equipment) will come into the RF market.
Antonyuk hopes this will help stimulate development of the electronic industry in this country.
He predicted that in six years, half of Russians will have digital TV sets and the analog television will become obsolete in Russia by 2016. He went on to say that the introduction of digital television in the world will be completed by 2028-2030 and it is believed that analog television will become obsolete if 85 per cent of the population already has digital TV sets. The Russian Government will consider a program for switching to digital television this year.
Antonyuk also mentioned that Russia is already working on digital broadcasting standards; Moscow, St.Petesrburg and Nizhny Novgorod are the territories where experimental digital television is presently broadcast and that it is planned that owners of digital TV sets will get their decoders for free.
The complete article can be seen on the Pravda.RU website.
Russia to complete digital switch-over by 2015
According to Boris Antonyuk, deputy minister of information technologies and communication, digital switch-over will be completed by 2015 in Russia. Already, trials are underway in Moscow, St Petersburg and Nizhniy Novgorod. Antonyuk believes that, in view of Russia's geography, the use of existing satellite networks would be the best way of developing digital broadcasting in the country.
However, the deputy head of the Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network (RTRS), Svyatoslav Bunyayev, is convinced that Russia must switch to digital broadcasting much sooner. Otherwise "our country will be doomed to being hopelessly backward". In his view, "Russia already has all the necessary technological basis for a rapid and inexpensive switch to digital."
Attributed to: Russian news agency ITAR-TASS
Source: Digitag
Background
In December 2003 it was formally announced that Russia will adopt the DVB-T system for terrestrial digital broadcasting and DVB-S for satellite broadcasting.
This follows a two-year study of competing standards as well as a series of trial broadcasts in Moscow, St Petersburg and Nizhny Novograd.
It is reported that national digital conversion should be completed between 2010 and 2015.
Niche mobile and home cinema services are also planned by independent operators in Moscow initially.
The DVB package of standards will be submitted to the Russian state standardisation body GOSSTANDART and it is expected that final approval will be given in early January 2004.
For more information on the digital situation in the Russian Federation see the ERO website http://www.ero.dk/dvbt-impl
The information provide on this page comes from many sources and whilst DVB believe it to be correct we cannot guarantee its accuracy. If you have comments or additional information please send it to dvb@dvb.org
Last page update: 16th August 2010, Barry Tew
