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: 9th September 2008, Barry Tew