DVB-T2 trial is on air in Serbia
Digital terrestrial TV transmissions using the DVB-T2 standard have begun on March 21, 2012 in
The signal in the Initial testing network is transmitted from 15 locations in Serbia. Out of these 15 locations, 13 are the locations of transmitters: Avala, Crveni Čot, Goč, Gučevo, Niš Gorica, Novi Pazar Šutenovačko brdo, Ovčar, Priboj Bić, Raška Gradac, Subotica Crveno selo, Užice Zabučje, Valjevo Pećina and Vršački Breg, whereas Košutnjak and Stojčino brdo are locations with the gap fillers. The transmitters which are being used have small power because, at the moment, due to a big number of television stations and occupation of specter, there are no technical possibilities for using greater power.
The DVB-T2 signal covers between 40 and 50% of the country through the Initial network.
Source: Digitalna Agenda
2 July 2012
Comutel announces start of DVB-T2 in Serbia
COMUTEL has announced that ETV, a national broadcasting agency in Serbia, started broadcasting its services on March 21st using DVB-T2 technology, first in the region.
DVB-T2 is the second generation of digital terrestrial television and will open new opportunities in high definition and standard definition TV via antenna. It is the most advanced digital terrestrial system (DTT) and is 50% more efficient than any other DTT system in the world. DVB-T2 also supports single frequency network (SFN) operation, where neighboring transmitters can use the same channels, thus covering the planned areas with a network of low-powered, synchronized SFN transmitters.
The engineering team of the Comutel, a Serbian company - part of the Telelink group, introduced the first DVB-T2 digital signal in Serbia and the region as well. The result is a reliable HD and SD coverage, achieved in less than eight months from the planning stage to implementation of the service.
"This network is big step forward for us and represents a masterpiece of engineering that will enable reliable and high quality digital signal distribution to more than 40% of population in Serbia in this initial phase, which so far was able to receive only analog TV signals, sometimes with interference and low quality", said Vladimir Homan, general manager of ETV, national broadcasting agency in Serbia, which will operate DVB-T2 network.
"It is once in a lifetime opportunity for a company to take over national DVB-T2 headenddesign and commissioning, and we are very happy that our customer, ETV, is satisfied with work that we performed in this project", said Miodrag Radulovic, general manager of Comutel.
Successful implementation of these cutting edge technologies confirms once again Comutel as a region leader in deploying video services and shows high level of expertise of a Comutel's engineering team.
Source: Comutel
18 April, 2012
ASO might be postponed
Serbia’s planned ASO for the 4th April 2012 could be postponed because of elections.
Local news agency "Beta" quoted the State Secretary for the Digital Agenda, Jasna Matic, who said it would not be a good idea to switch of the analogue TV signal during the election campaign.
The transition to DTT in Serbia is said to be slow. Matic went on to say that Serbia will help citizens who are covered by the measures of social support to purchase a DTT receiver. She added that the assessment is that there are some 300,000 households in this situation and that state support for them will be either 100% or less.
Source: Telecompaper
Item added: 10th October 2011
Serbia to start DTT tests this autumn
Trial broadcasting of Digital Terrestrial TV signals in Serbia will start in the autumn, announced Secretary for the Digital Agenda, Jasna Matic. She added that the digital network equipment has begun to arrive and its installation will start during the summer. The roll-out of DTT should be completed by the 4 April 2012. A consortium for technical assistance has been set up, headed by UK experts from the BBC.
Serbia recently announced that it would go straight to DVB-T2 for its DTT service because of T2’s significant benefits and gains over all other DTT transmission systems available.
Main source: Telecompaper
Item added: 26th April 2011
Update on DVB-T2 planning
Professor Irini Reljin, Assistant Minister of Telecommunications in Serbia, described plans for her country’s transition to DVB-T2 broadcasting at the recent DVBWorld 2011 conference in Nice.
Despite initially deciding on the use of DVB-T the additional benefits provided by DVB-T2 now mean that the country will immediately adopt DVB-T2 without transitioning through DVB-T.
As well as the increased bit rate available Prof. Reljin illustrated that by using DVB-T2 for the Single Frequency Network (SFN), the extended guard interval possible, will mean that only 12 transmitter sites would be needed instead of the 30 described in RRC06 for DVB-T.
The parameters adopted for the DVB-T2 system will be 256QAM, 32k FFT, guard interval of 1/8 (448us) and a code rate of ¾. These parameters will allow a net bit rate of 40.38 Mbps and a supported distance between SFN transmitters of 134.4km she said.
Initially two multiplexes are planned for Serbia. Mux 1 will have nationwide programme coverage (95%) as well as some regional programming and Mux 2 will be used for local programmes.
The government regulations indicate that 7 programmes will be available nationwide, 30 for use regionally and 94 for us in local areas.
Analogue switch off is planned for 2012.
Source: DVBWorld 2011
Item added: 14th March 2011
Transmission network upgrade begins
Serbia has started work to upgrade the terrestrial television transmission network in the country.
The first phase of the project is expected to cost €12 million of which the European Union has agreed to fund €10.5 million.
In total the full cost of digital switchover is estimated at €50-70 million and includes subsidies for 300,000 low-income households to purchase DTT receivers.
ASO in Serbia is planned to take place on the 4th April 2012.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 13th February 2011
Public company launched to manage DTT switchover
The Serbian government has set up a public company to take over Serbia's broadcast infrastructure from national broadcaster Radio-Televizija Srbije (RTS) and provide TV, radio and mobile signals throughout Serbia, as part of the country's digital switchover plan. According to director Vladimir Homan, the new company is now in charge of all 250 transmitters once owned by RTS and will manage a complete overhaul of the system. Serbia plans to spend up to EUR 115 million on the switchover, with EUR 75 million to be allocated for new broadcasting equipment. The deadline for the switchover is April 2012.
Source: Telecompaper
Item added: 7th February 2011
EU provides funding to support ASO
The European Union (EU) has agreed to provide funding to help with analogue switchover in Serbia and Montenegro.
In Serbia, the EU will provide funds for the acquisition of DTT equipment and for technical assistance, support and promotion of the DTT platform. Serbia has set April 2012 as the date for the completion of analogue switch-off, however, services have not yet been launched.
In Montenegro, the EU has provided the public service broadcaster RTVCG with funding for DTT transmission equipment and will also allocate further funds to help with the introduction of DTT services. Montenegro will use MPEG-4 AVC compression and plans to complete digital switchover by the 31st December 2012.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 30th April 2010
Strategy for Switchover adopted
The government has adopted the Strategy for the Switchover from Analogue to Digital Broadcasting according to advanced television.com.
The strategy, which estimates the cost to fund switch over at between €87-115 million, requires an allocation of €75 million through international loans.
Broadcast network operator RTS is to be spun off from the public service broadcaster to form an independent company.
The provision of DTT receivers is also to be subsidise by the government
Analogue switch off is expected to be completed by the 4th April 2012.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 20th July 2009
DVB-T2 seems unlikely according to RTS
According to a representative from the Serbian broadcast network operator RTS, it is unlikely that Serbia will launch its DTT services using the DVB-T2 standard.
RTS say that the government has not taken into account the realities of the broadcast market and the fact that RTS had recently purchased transmitting equipment suitable for analogue and DVB-T transmission.
RTS went on to say that Serbia urgently needs to upgrade its transmitting infrastructure and is already suffering from a lack of funding to make this possible.
Source: Digitag attributed to RTS
Item added: 1st June 2009
Serbia adopts DVB-T2
Serbia has decided to use the new DVB-T2 transmission standard for digital terrestrial broadcasting together with MPEG-4 (H.264, AVC) for its forthcoming transition to digital broadcasting. According to the report from Broadband TV News, Jasna Matic, the minister for telecommunications and information society, said that the country would complete its DTT transition by the 4th April, 2012 rather than the 2015 suggested by the ITU in order to be synchronised with the EU and neighbouring countries.
Serbia has become one of the first countries to commit to the DVB-T2 standard. The first was the UK which will use DVB-T2 this autumn for its all HD DTT multiplex.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 25th May 2009
Serbia troubled over DTT delays
According to its telecommunications and information society minister, Jasna Matic, delays in the introduction of DTT in Serbia would deprive local TV stations of a part of their audience and revenues to rivals in neighboring countries and make it a “black hole” in South eastern Europe. She added that the Serbian public broadcaster RTS will need the state’s help to make the digital switchover
Analogue switch off is expected to take place by 2015 in most neighboring countries.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 12th January 2009
Service added to DTT platform
The public service broadcaster RTS has launched a new digital service on the trial DTT platform dedicated to arts and culture. Other services already available on the platform are RTS-1, RTS-2 and TV Avala.
The trial DTT platform is available in the regions of Belgrade and Novi Sad.
Eventually a DTT licence will be allocated to a single multiplex operator responsible for licensing content.
Analogue switch off is expected to be completed by the end of 2011 and this is likely to be re-confirmed when the countries new digital strategy is announced in 2009.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 1st December 2008
DTT Pilot Project Launched in Serbia
The Public service broadcaster RTS, (Serbian Broadcasting Corporation) officially launched the countries first digital terrestrial pilot trial on the 10th May 2005.
Using the DVB-T standard the pilot will provide coverage of the capital city Belgrade from a single transmitter. The transmitted multiplex will initially simulcast the three existing TV programmes RTS1, RTS2 and RTS3 as well as four radio programmes. The remaining TV slot designated RTS4 will be used for special test programmes.
These pilot transmissions will enable field measurements to confirm coverage predictions as well as provide system operational experience. Later an additional transmitter and gap-fillers will be added to the system.
Source: Kompani
Added: 11th May 2005, Barry Tew.
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Last page update: 10th October 2011
