Azerbaijan to produce DTT decoders
KUR computer equipment company has announced its intention to begin production of decoders for digital television according to the Trend News Agency.
Production is expected to start in 2010. A spokesman for the company said that producing the decoders in country would significantly reduce decoder prices making them more accessible to the general population.
Today, decoders for the reception of DTT signals cost 40 manat (32 USD) to 100 manat (80 USD) on the domestic market.
Source: Trend News Agency
Item added: 23rd November 2009



Teleradio develops DTT introduction plan
Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Teleradio (Production Association of TV-Radio Broadcasting & Satellite Communications of the Ministry of Communications & Information Technologies of Azerbaijan) has developed a plan for switching to digital broadcasting in the country.
“We are planning to submit it for the consideration of the Cabinet Ministers” a spokesman announced.
The Association plans to launch broadcasting of TV programs using DVB-T and coded using MPEG-4 (H.264, AVC) in Baku by late July or early August.
Services will also be extended to Ganja before the end of 2009.
The time plan for the introduction of Digital Television in Azerbaijan is in three stages: 1st stage - 2007-10, 2nd stage - 2011-13, and 3rd stage - 2014-15 culminating in ASO in 2015.
Two broadcasting multiplexes, with four channels in each, will be put into operation initially in Baku, Ganja and Nakhchivan. One of the multiplexes will be made available across the country, providing 60-70% of the population with DTT coverage.
An additional multiplex will be introduced at the second stage of the plan in order to expand digital broadcasting coverage in Baku, Ganja and Nakhchivan. As a result, three multiplexes will be put into operation and two multiplexes throughout the country. Following this, population coverage will be increase from 60-70% to 90%.
In 2013 three 12 program multiplexes are to be commissioned followed by improving coverage to 98% of the population during the third stage of the plan.
DVB-T trial transmissions were launched in Azerbaijan as a pilot project in Baku on 10 October 2004.
Source: Azerbaijan Business Center
Item added: 24th July 2009



DTT services to begin in 2008
Azerbaijan plans to launch DTT services during the second half of 2008 in Baku and Ganca. This is not the first time that DVB-T has been transmitted in the country, previously in 2004 testing took place in the Baku area.
Rapid TV News reports that until recently it was TV from Russia and Turkey that dominated people’s entertainment choices as part of the 21 analogue channels available over the country. Turkey’s TRT is still on air, but the other “guest” channels ceased being carried on January 1st.
There are two Baku cable networks (B&B TV, and CaTV) with a total of some 40,000 subscribers. B&B’s offering is typical, with a maximum of 83 channels.
Azerbaijan’s National TV and Radio Council reports that there are currently 21 television channels, 11 radio stations and 12 cable TV networks, as well as three foreign radio stations and one foreign television channel (Turkey’s TRT) broadcasting in Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan, which is a former Soviet republic, has a population of 8.6 million.
Main source: Rapid TV News
Item added: 6th May 2008



One thousand users watch digital television
Digital Television began in September 2004 around Baku.
Four channels are used in these tests and over 1000 users watch the digital television services today.
Source: Azerbaijan State Information Agency
Item added: 13th September 2005




Azerbaijan to begin Digital TV tests
Azerbaijan will begin Digital TV tests very soon according to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. An item published by Azertac, the State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan on September 1st 2004 stated that the number of TV channels would be increased and  4-5 different programmes could be put in an existing TV channel when digital TV begins. It was also mentioned that less picture interference and improved quality would be a benefit of changing to digital TV as well as bringing easy access to Internet.
Digital TV testing will start first in  Baku and the Absheron Peninsula.

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Last page update update: 23rd November 2009, Barry Tew