Retailers asked to help with switch to digital TV
The Secretary for State for the digital economy, Eric Besson has announced plans to work with manufacturers and retailers to increase the penetration of digital television.
At a recent joint industry meeting Besson called for retailers to provide consumers with clear information on DTT receivers especially during the holiday season.
He is proposing to draft an agreement with manufacturers and retailers which will include concrete measures to provide information and provide assistance to low income families
This agreement is expected to be concluded by the end of April.
Source: Nouvel Obs
Item added: 22nd December 2008




ASO timeline published by the government
The French government has officially agreed the new Analogue Switch Off (ASO) plan which was submitted for approval in October.
Two regions will switch off analogue services in 2009 followed by 12 additional regions in 2010 and a further 12 regions in 2011. The process, which begins in the northern part of France, will end in the southern part of France when the region of Provance completes switch over on the 30th November 2011.
Paris is scheduled for switch over in early 2011.
Canal+’s switch to digital may not follow the published plan completely because it broadcasts TV on VHF Band III and its licence expires on the 6th December 2010.
These frequencies will then be used for the launch of digital radio services.
At this time some of the remaining 12 regions not already converted to digital transmission my loose access to Canal+ programmes until the switchover process is completed in that region.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 9th December 2008



77 new DTT transmitters
The French broadcast regulator CSA has announced that 77 new DTT transmitter sites will go on air between the 30th November and the 19th December.
DTT reception will then be available to 87% of the French population, approximately 53 million people.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 1st December 2008




Free to air TNTSAT viewers reach 750,000
TNTSAT is a service targeted at the regions of France where TV households cannot receive DTT channels and broadcasts those same channels from satellite.
The Free to air service now has viewers in 750,000 households according to an SES Astra press release.
The press release goes on to say that TNTSAT will offer free-to-air HD services in February 2009. These services include the free-to-air HD content available on the DTT platform Arte HD, France 2 HD, TF1 HD and M6 HD.
Source: SES Astra press release
Item added: 24th November 2008



UHF TV band, from 790-862 MHz allocated for Broadband Internet
In 2009, the French government plans to invite candidates to tender for the provision of broadband access to Internet services for 100% of the population.
In order to do so, it has decided to allocate frequencies in the upper part of the UHF band, from 790-862 MHz, for the provision of such services.
These frequencies correspond to the revision made to the ITU Radio Regulations at the last World Radiocommunications Conference 2007 (WRC-07) in which national administrations allowed for the introduction of mobile telecom services in the frequencies from 790-862 MHz.
Previously, the frequencies from 470 to 862 MHz had been reserved exclusively for broadcast services on a primary basis.
This item is a part of a comprehensive review of the French TV Digital market posted by Digitag on its web site and can be accessed by clicking on the following link.
Source: Digitag Web Letter November 2008
Item added: 17th November 2008


French HDTV chooses Dolby
Télévision Numérique Terrestre HD (TNT HD) has adopted Dolby’s Digital Plus audio system for its newly launched service. Dolby Digital Plus is designed specifically to adapt to the changing demands of future entertainment delivery while retaining backward compatibility with the existing Dolby Digital 5.1-channel home theatre systems already in use.
Source: Rapid TV News
Item added: 17th November 2008


Four more local DTT licences awarded by CSA
The CSA has awarded a further four local DTT licences for the regions of Nice-Menton, Toulon-Hyères, Bar-Le-Duc and d’Epinal-Vittal.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 17th November 2008




VOD on DTT from TDF
TDF, the transmission network provider, has offered broadcasters the opportunity to test Vision On Demand (VOD) in early 2009.
This offers users the chance to access additional content and programmes downloaded to the hard disk of their STB overnight for when they are ready to view it.
Top Up TV in the UK has run a push VOD service since 2006 and there is also said to be interest in such a system from the Norwegian pay-TV platform Riks TV.
For a VOD system to operate in France the current licence, which currently precludes its use, needs to be amended.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 11th November 2008



Government provides funding for DSO
The French government has announced that it will make €320 million available to support the digital switchover process.
€120 million of this funding is to make more information on the switchover available, by the means of Internet websites, a call centre and by providing other means of communication to consumers. A further €15 million will be made available to fund a national and regional advertising campaign.
€183 million will be used to help targeted households such as those with disabled members, householders over 70 years old and low incomes, make the transition to digital reception.
Digital switchover is expected to be completed by 30 November 2011.
Source: Le Figaro
Item added: 11th November 2008



DTT HD launched in France
On the 30th October at 3.30 pm (CET) the new High Definition DTT service was launched.
The HD offering consists of free-to-air channels TF1 HD, France 2 HD, Arte HD and M6 HD and the premium (encrypted) channel Canal+ HD.
HD service are provided from 27 transmitters and cover 40% of the metropolitan population. By the 31st May 2009 new transmitters will have been added increasing the coverage to 60% of the population.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 3rd November 2008


Coulommiers ASO by 4th February 2009
The first analogue switch of pilot is set to begin in the region of Coulommiers on the 8th November, when DTT services become available to 70% of the local population. The trial will end on the 4th February 2009 when the analogue transmitters are finally switched off.
In total 7,000 households are affected by the trial.
Letters and public information sessions have been started to provide details of the digital switchover and what has to be done by viewers to continue to receive a terrestrial TV service.
Two further digital switchover pilots are planned to take place in 2009 in the cities of Cherbourg and Kaysersberg.
Analogue switch-off is set for completion by 30 November 2011.
Source: 01net
Item added: 3rd November 2008




French Digital Plan France Numérique 2012 released
A comprehensive digital action plan France Numérique 2012 was recently presented by the State Secretary for the development of the digital economy, Eric Besson.
The plan calls on the Prime Minister to publish the first draft of the analogue switch-off roadmap by the end of October.
Three pilot digital switchovers are scheduled to take place in Coulommiers at the end of this year, in Kaysersberg, Alsace, in the second quarter 2009 and in the region of Cherbourg.
The pilots will affect approximately 100,000 people and are meant to monitor any problems in the process.
After Alsace, analogue broadcasting will cease in Lorraine, Champagne-Ardenne and Franche - Comté.
In 2010 changeover will take place in the west of France, specifically in the regions of Brittany, Pays de la Loire and Basse-Normandie.
The plan also sets the number of DTT multiplexes after ASO in November 2011 at 13. Two of these multiplexes will be for DVB-H services covering 70% of the population with the remaining 11 multiplexes providing DVB-T services extending to 95%.
The plan also assigns the entire band Band III (174-233 MHz) to digital radio when it is released in 2010.
Main source: France Numérique 2012
Item added: 27th October 2008


New local DTT services
The CSA has issued new local DTT licences in four regions.
The services and regions are as follows: Télé Miroir (Nîmes), Télé Locale Provence (Manosque), Télé 102 (Les Sables-d’Olonne), TV Vendée (La Roche-sur-Yon)
Source: CSA website
Item added: 20th October 2008

 

October Launch for HD DTT service
Five HD DTT channels will be launched on the 30th October 2008.
The channels are HD TF1, France 2 HD, Arte HD, canal + HD and M6 HD
At that time HD transmissions will begin from 27 transmitters and cover 40% of the metropolitan population, increasing later to 60% coverage by the 31st May 2009.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 20th October 2008



DTT ad spend up 92%
French researchers Yacast have found that ad spend on DTT channels has risen by 92% during the las year reports Rapid TV News.
Source: Rapid TV News
Item added: 13th October 2008



8 million with DTT receivers
According to a report prepared for the CSA, the number of households with access to DTT (TNT) services has now reached 8 million which amounts to 31.7% of French TV households.
The number still accessing analogue television is down 13.6% from last year and now accounts for 7.35 million viewers approximately 29.1%
Satellite DTT subscriptions are at 14.6% and ADSL at 13.2%.
In all 33.8% of the French viewing population (8.54 million) now have access to some form of digital television.
Source: CSA observatoire report
Item added: 6th October 2008



TNT FreeSat to gain HD channels
TNTSat free-to-view is to include four HD channels from February 2009 reports Broadband TV News. The new channels are TF1 HD, M6 HD, Arte HD and France 2 HD.
TNTSat is a satellite delivery service made available from the Canal+ Group and offering a DTH alternative to receive the free-to-view channels already available on the French DTT platform.
To receive the existing service it has been necessary to use a Sagem/Viaccess satellite receiver/decoder, only a few of which are capable of decoding the new HD service. The receiver is currently used in 50,000 homes and is expected to rise to 100,000 by the end of the year.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 23rd September 2008


HD tuner mandate delayed
Manufacturers have been given an additional year before the requirement to include an MPEG-4 AVC HD tuner in all HD displays comes into force.
Initially, the mandate was to start on the 1st December 2008, however, legislative changes made in August, now require television sets larger than 66cm (26 inches) to include an HD/DTT receiver as of the 1st December 2009.
In addition, all television sets and set-top boxes must include an HD/DTT tuner by 1 December 2012.
Source: LegiFrance (translation thanks to Digitag)
Item added: 9th September 2008



Canal+ launches HDTV on DTT platform
Canal+ HD launched its HD service on the 9th August to become the first terrestrial HD DTT broadcaster in France.
The service was launched in time to broadcast HD footage from the Beijing Olympics and is now continuing on a regular schedule.
Canal+ will be followed by Arte, which launches HD DTT services on the 30th October. France 2 also starts DTT HD services in October and will soon be followed by M6 and TF1.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 27th August 2008



Digital penetration reaches 56%
According to recent research by the NPA Conseil on behalf of TDF, 56% of French homes now watch digital TV via DTT, DTH, IPTV or cable.
DTT is the most popular mode with 42% watching terrestrially, most penetration being in the eastern part of the country.
Many people still watch some analogue TV with 45.9% of the population having at least one analogue TV set while 28.7% still watch analogue TV on the primary set.
The research also showed that 23.2% of all French people now have an HD Ready or Full HD screen in their homes.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 11th August 2008




Coverage increases and 2009 plans released
DTT service coverage increased to 87% of the French population on the 1st August after four new transmitters began broadcasting.
The new transmitters provide DTT services to viewers in the cities of Villers-Cotterêts, La Voulte-sur-Rhône, Pamiers, and Igny.
By the end of 2008 coverage will be extended to 89% of the population increasing to 92% by the end of 2009 according to the 2009 DTT expansion plans just released by the CSA. The plans indicate that another 71 transmitters will be brought on air during 2009.
Coverage increase source: CSA website
DTT plans for 2009 source: CSA website
Item added: 4th August 2008

Digital Dividend report submitted
The Parliamentary committee, set up to look at the re-allocation of frequencies after the analogue switch in off in 2011, has submitted its report to the Prime Minister.
Its proposal responds to calls from the Broadcast industry to retain the frequencies released by ASO to extend the availability of HDTV to 95% of the population, extend the availability of mobile television and allow the digitisation of local channels.
In 2012, after ASO it recommends that 11 multiplexes covering 95% of the population and 2 DVB-H multiplexes (32 channels) with 80% coverage are provided.
Source: AFP
Item added: 28th July 2008


First ASO trial begins
The first analogue switch off trial in France is soon to begin in Coulommiers and the surrounding area. The trial is set for completion by early 2009 by which time all analogue services will have been switched off.
During the trial a communication campaign will be launched to spread information about the ASO by advertisement and in local media. In September a call centre to help viewers prepare for the switch over will also open.
The trial will affect the 14,000 residents in Coulommiers and the surrounding region. After Coulommiers a switch off trial will take place in a larger city with 150,000 residents.
ASO is planned for completion in France by the 30th November 2011.
Source: ZDNet.fr (translation thanks to Digitag)
Item added: 28th July 2008






Four more local French DTT broadcasters
Broadband TV News reports that the French media authority CSA has received four applications for local DTT broadcasters in the four regions previously advertised on March 18, 2008.
The regions in question are Bar-le-Duc, Epinal-Vittel, Toulon, Hyères and Privas.
The four hopefuls are La Télé du Net (Bar-le-Duc); Images Plus, une fenêtre ouverte sur les Vosges (Epinal-Vittel); TV Ardèche (Zone de Privas) and Cap Toulon-Hyères (Toulon and Hyères).
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 8th July 2008



DTT for Overseas Territories
The Secretary of state for Overseas, Yves Jégo announced on Friday, (4th July) that DTT services will be launched in the French Overseas Territories at the end of Q1, 2010.
All DTT services will use MPEG-4, H.264 coding and the initial launch will be with 10 free-to-air channels.
HD services are also expected to begin broadcasting during 2010 and the full DTT platform should be operational by the end of November 2011.
Main source: Télésatellite
Item added: 8th July 2008




Canal plus granted HD/DTT licence
Following the allocation of an HD licence to broadcast HD on the DTT platform, Canal + plans to broadcast the majority of its programmes in HD by 2012. HD TF1, M6 HD, F2 HD and HD Arte have already been granted licences to broadcast HD services on the R3 platform.
Canal+ will broadcast the majority of its programmes in HD between the hours of 14.00 and midnight.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 16th June 2008



French mobile television licensees announced
The French media authority CSA has announced the winning channels for it’s new broadcast mobile television service, which is set to start transmitting later this year.
CSA selected 13 channels from 36 applicants for the DVB-H service to fill the 13 available slots.
The successful applicants are: BFM TV, Canal+, Direct 8, EuropaCorp, Eurosport, I-Télé, M6, NRJ 12, NT1, Orange Sport, TF1, Virgin 17, and W9.
Three licences have already been reserved for the public service broadcaster France Télévisions.
The new mobile TV service will be known as Télévision Mobile Personnelle or TMP for short and will be mostly free to air.
Source: Informitv
Item added: 2nd June 2008



Coulommiers first to switch to digital
CSA has announced that Coulommiers will be the first city in France to begin the analogue switch off. The trial will begin in Autumn 2008, after the launch of DTT services in the region and will end with the analogue switch-off in Spring 2009.
Coulommiers was selected on the basis of its socio-economic profile of households, with its mixture of individual and collective housing units, and the involvement of local associations.
The trial will be used to better understand viewer reaction to the digital switchover, while measuring the efficiency of various information and communication tools, and evaluating the ability of different providers to coordinate their services.
Coulommiers has a population of 10,000 inhabitants and is located near Paris.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 2nd June 2008

DTT penetration reaches 26%
The latest figures published by network operator TDF show that an increasing number of households are adopting digital services.
Nearly 52% of households access digital TV services on at least one television set while 29.6% have converted all of their television sets to digital.
However, 30% of households continue to rely on the analogue terrestrial platform. In addition, 63% of households are unaware of analogue switch-off.
Source: TDF Baromètre   (translation and item thanks to Digitag)
Item added: 2nd June 2008

France's broadcasting regulator CSA has issued HD digital terrestrial television licences to private networks TF1 and M6 plus pubcasters France 2 and Arte
The ten-year renewable licenses require HD broadcasts to begin by Oct. 30 at the latest. Both TF1 and M6 have already committed to airing at least 80% of their content in HD by the end of 2012.
The CSA has also recently invited pay TV operators to put forward proposals for premium HD DTT, but instead of the three candidates expected only Canal Plus has filed an application so far.
In January, CSA president Michel Boyon expressed the hope that eight HD DTT channels would be available in selected regions of France by the end of 2008.
On Sunday, Daniel Bilalian, France Televisions' director of sports programming, announced that HD transmissions would not be available for this summer's Olympic Games on any of the pubcaster's channels.
Bilalian blamed "current uncertainty in public service financing" for the decision.
Main source: Variety
Item added: 27th May 2008


TV Numeric unveils pay-DTT plans
Pay-DTT operator TV Numeric has formally launched its services following a soft-launch last September. TV Numeric offers 7 pay-DTT services for €8 per month in addition to €5 for rental of the set-top box.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 27th May 2008



New DTT sites launching by June 30th
The CSA have published a list of zones launching DTT services by 30 June 2008
The new sites are: Alpes-Maritimes (Grasse), Ariège (Saint-Girons), Aveyron (Rodez), Bouches-du-Rhône (Roquevaire), Charente (Angoulême, Ruelle), Charente-Maritime (Saintes), Côtes-d’Armor (Guingamp, Saint-Brieuc), Côte-d’Or (Dijon), Eure (Vernon), Eure-et-Loir (Chartres, Dreux), Finistère (Brest, Quimper), Gard (Nîmes), Gers (Auch), Haute-Saône (Vesoul), Lot-et-Garonne (Villeneuve-sur-Lot), Manche (Saint-Lô, Mortain), Savoie (Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne), Var (Draguignan), Vendée (La Roche-sur-Yon, La Tranche-sur-Mer, Les Sables-d’Olonne).
Source: CSA website
Item added: 27th May 2008



DTT Broadcasters want quick Analogue Switch Over
French TV channels TF1, France 2, France 3, Canal Plus, France 5, Arte France and M6 have released a joint statement putting pressure on the French government to speed up the country's analogue switchoff.
The channels said the process must be completed as quickly as possible so that free-to-air HD services can be launched on the DTT platform. They said simulcasting analogue and digital channels during the switchover process wasn't desirable because it would be too costly and delay the development of digital signals.
Source: Informamedia
Item added: 28th April 2008



CSA publishes results of ASO consultation
Following its consultation on analogue switch-off, the CSA has published a compilation of the eighty responses received, which led them to recommend that analogue switch-off should begin in 2009.
According to the CSA, analogue switch-off should take place on a region-by-region basis with the first two regions with the highest level of DTT penetration switching off in 2009.
Analogue switch-off is planned to be completed by 20 November 2011.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 28th April 2008


17.4 million DTT receivers in homes
According to the latest figures from GfK, 17.4 million DTT receivers are now in French television households, amounting to a penetration of 37%.
In total, 13 million DTT receivers have been bought while the remaining 4.4 million are rented.
Looking at the breakdown, 5.1 million are IDTV’s, 5.9 million are Set-Top Boxes and 1.5 million are computers with an integrated DVB-T tuner or DVB-T USB sticks.
At the end of March 2007, 8.2 million DTT receivers were in homes.
Source: Le Figaro  (thanks to Digitag for the translation)
Item added: 28th April 2008



New Pay DTT provider
TNTop, part of the Vest@vision group now offers a seven-channel selection of programmes on the DTT platform. These include Eurosport, Canal J, Paris Premiére, Planéte, LC1, TF6 and AB1 all for €8 a month. It will also include 18 free channels as well as the future HD channels. Users can also subscribe to TPS Star and Canal+ with the same smart card for €19 a month.
Main source: Rapid TV News
Item added: 8th April 2008

CSA calls for more local DTT channels
Broadband TV News reports that the French media authority CSA has opened up the application process for more local DTT channels.
Proposals have been invited for local stations in Bar-le-Duc, Epinal and Vittel (one single licence for the two towns), Privas and Toulon-Hyères.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 1st April 2008

TV sets must include a DTT tuner
As of the 5th March 2008 all TV sets sold in France must include an DTT tuner with MPEG-2 decoding.
The law "Télévision du Futur" made the inclusion of the tuner mandatory. In addition all HD-ready TV sets must include an
MPEG-4 (H.264 AVC) tuner by the end of 2008.
HD services on the terrestrial platform are expected to be launched in 2008. Licences have already been allocated to TF1, France Télévisions and M6.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 10th March 2008


CSA licenses local channels in Paris
The CSA has granted a licence to the operator of multiplex Multi 7 to launch seven local TV channels for the Paris region, from the 20th March 2008.
The new services include Coté Seine, IDF 1 and LTF as well as one television slot shared between Demain IDF, BDM TV, Cinaps TV and Télé Bocal.
Main source: CSA website
Item added: 10th March 2008


Arte to launch in HD on DTT platform
The Franco-German cultural service Arte is set to launch in HD on the French free-to-air DTT platform from the 30th October.
The French HD/DTT platform is expected to comprise 8 television programme services, some which will be free-to-air.
Already, HD/DTT licenses have been allocated to France Télévisions, TF1 and M6 for free-to-air services while Canal+ is expected to receive a license for pay-HD services.
Sources: Broadband TV News  and DigiTAG
Item added: 10th March 2008

Reorganisation of DTT multiplexes and more local licences available
To allow for the launch of a new HD DTT service the CSA has agreed to plans for the re-arrangement of two of France’s multiplexes to make space for it.
A Pay HD service is to be launched on multiplex R4 following the move of AB1 and NT1 from R4 to R6. Full item: CSA website
In a separate move the CSA is inviting local broadcasters to tender for DTT licences in four new areas, Bayonne, Dijon, Lille and Meaux.
Applications must be submitted by the 16 May 2008.
Full item: CSA website
Item added: 4th March 2008



DTV penetration reaches 46.5%
DTV penetration in France has reached 46.5% according to the latest “TDF barometer of digital television”
The growth in penetration is said to be largely due to the increase in popularity of Digital terrestrial television (DTT), which on its own has a penetration of 27.1% and its service now covers 80% of the population.
The research from NPA Conseil, which was used to compile the figures, shows that 71% of TV households rely on terrestrial television for their primary TV viewing.
Source: TDF website
Item added: 26th February 2008


Local DTT services attract eight applicants
Eight applicants have shown interest in the local DTT franchises in the towns of Brest, Strasbourg, Saint Etienne, Nice, Menton and Montluçon, reports Broadband TV News.
Most applications are uncontested but in southern France there are two for Nice, two for Montluçon and one wishing to provide a combined Nice- Montluçon service.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 26th February 2008

More DTT transmitters to come on line
The CSA announced, on its website, that new DTT services will be available in the areas of Amiens, Bar-le-Duc, Saint-Dizier, Blois, Châtellerault and Périgueux by 31 March.
Further DTT services will follow in Saint-Quentin, Romans-sur-Isère, Cahors, Gap, and Porto-Vecchio when frequency changes have been made to free the necessary spectrum.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 18th February 2008

DTV for overseas territories
Christine Albanel, the French Minister of Culture, has asked the CSA to evaluate the possibility of developing digital TV services in the French overseas territories. These territories include the French West Indies, Guyana, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Reunion and Mayote.
The CSA report is to be submitted to the French government by the end of April.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 5th February 2008


DTT popularity grows
French DTT is reaching more and more people as the network coverage increases, according to research by Crédoc on behalf of Arcep and CTGI, reports Broadband TV News.
Twenty two percent of the population now watch TV via the DTT platform but DTH is still winning with 26% of the population as viewers.
Twelve percent of all French homes are connected to cable and 7% to IPTV. The remainder still rely on analogue TV services. Two percent say they have access to mobile TV and 40% to multiple platforms.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 5th February 2008


Tender opens for new HD/DTT licence
CSA, the French broadcasting regulator, has invited candidates to tender for a new HD/DTT licence. The new licence is for a Pay-TV service and only broadcasters who already provide Pay-TV services on the DTT platform are allowed to tender. If a candidate’s application is successful its existing SDTV service will be replaced by the new Pay-HDTV service.
The new services will be made available on the R3 multiplex and candidates have until the 28th March to submit an application.
The licence is expected to be issued in May and HDTV services can begin soon after.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 5th February 2008 (corrected 18th February 2008)

CSA publishes 2008 DTT rollout
The CSA has published a new map on its website detailing sites and launch dates for new DTT transmitters, reports Broadband TV News. By the end of 2008, the current 85% coverage will have increased to 89% of the population. Viewers have access to 17 national free-to-air channels as well as to one of the 18 regional broadcasters.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 5th February 2008

Mobile TV trial extended
The French media authority CSA has extended the DVB-H trial on the Paris metropolitan transport system RATP until the 15th April 2008. The trial, which has been underway since October 2007, is being used to study the feasibility of mobile TV reception on trains and in metro stations. The trial extension will study reception on the suburban RER lines A and B and will also include radio broadcasts.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 5th February 2008

CSA says HDTV is the number 1 priority
HD is the number one priority for CSA this year according to a report from Broadband TV News. The quote attributed to CSA, was given by Michel Boyon, president of the authority to Tele-Satellite magazine. The news item goes on to say that in spring, three broadcasters (TF1, France2 and M6) will start transmitting in HD on the DTT platform. The exact date is still to be announced. They will be followed by Arte and Canal+ in the second quarter. By the end of the year a second HD multiplex will come on air, making three more HD DTT channels available in selected regions of the country, bringing the total to eight programme services.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 29th January 2008


CSA to tender further local DTT licences
The CSA is inviting broadcasters to tender for the provision of local DTT services in the regions of Caen, Poitiers, Reims-Mézières and Perpignan.
Broadcasters have until 15 April 2008 to submit their license bid.
Source: CSA website (from Digitag)
Item added: 29th January 2008



DVB-H licences attract 32 candidates
A total of 32 candidates had applied for DVB-H broadcast licences by the January 15th deadline according to CSA.
Mobile phone company Orange has formally applied for two of the DVB-H channels and some of the applicants, TF1, M6, Canal+, Lagardère Active, NRJ, NextRadio TV, AB Groupe and Bolloré are reported to have signed a joint agreement to promote mobile digital TV in France.
The CSA will meet all the candidates in April and intends to award licences by June-July.
Mobile TV services are then likely to begin by the end of 2008 and provide coverage to 30% of the population but it is anticipated that some service providers may launch earlier in time for the Summer Olympic Games in August.
Main source: CSA website
Item added: 22nd January 2008



DVB-SH passes its test
A DVB-SH test in France by Alcatel-Lucent and SFR has shown that the terrestrial repeater part of the mainly satellite delivered mobile TV service can co-localise with and use existing 3G sites, towers and even antennas. Tests performed in the city of Pau both outside and inside buildings, validated several fundamental assumptions on the performances of a DVB-SH network, notably the coverage, continuity and quality of service.The tests also confirm that only some of the 3G+ sites need be equipped with DVB-SH repeaters to allow Mobile TV coverage inside buildings identical to the 3G+ coverage. According to Alcatel-Lucent, this validates the economical efficiency of the deployment of a DVB-SH terrestrial network for Mobile TV broadcast with a very high coverage quality.
Main source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 22nd January 2008



CSA opens tender for local DTT services
The French broadcast regulator, the CSA, has invited broadcasters to tender for local DTT services.
One DTT service slot will be made available in multiplex R1.
A service slot has been made available in the regions of Cannes-Grasse, Belfort-Montbeliard, Limoges, Lorient-Vannes and Mulhouse.
Broadcasters have until 14 March to apply for the available license.
Original source: CSA website
Main source: Digitag
Item added: 7th January 2008




€4bn HDTV market in 2007
Revenues from sales of HD products in France during 2007 will have amounted to €4bn, according to a Rapid TV News report on recent figures from Gfk.
From January until October 2007, HD product sales reached €3.1bn amounting to 72% of turnover. By the end of December HD TV sales are expected to amount to 80% of all TV sets sold.
However all these HD sales don’t mean that everyone is using them to watch HD programmes, as Gfk points out that most of the HD sets sold are not capable of receiving HD programming because they don’t have built in HD tuners.
However Gfk is reported to indicate that built in HD tuners will become compulsory for sets sold in France during 2008.
Source: Rapid TV News
Item added: 27th December 2007

Simavelec calls for free-to-air mobile TV services
The French consumer organisation Simavelec, which concentrates on the audiovisual sector, has called for free-to-view mobile TV rather than subscription based services.
It cites Japan and Korea’s free-to-view mobile TV service business models reported as having a penetration of 15 million users as the justification for its case and compares this to the 600,000 users in Italy and only tens of thousands in Germany and the UK for subscription models. “Pay models are a long way behind the free to air business model” it is reported as saying.
Mobile TV will be launched in France before the Olympic Games and the Euro 2008 football tournament both using DVB-H.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 27th December 2007



Digital penetration now at 42.4%
Research by TDF estimates that 42.4% of homes in France now have access to digital television via various platforms.
DTT has a penetration of 22.9%, which is said to be nearly 2/3 of digital viewers.
Each month an average of 250,000 households adopt DTT services.
DTT coverage was 73.9% of the population as of the 31st October 2007 and should increase to 89% by the end of 2008.
The original document from TDF is packed full of additional figures and can be viewed in full by clicking on the following source link.
Source: TDF Baromètre
Item added: 27th November 2007


HD licences allocated
The CSA has announced the allocation of two licences for HD broadcasting on the DTT platform.
The licences have been allocated to commercial broadcasters TF1 HD and M6 HD who will provide services on the free-to-air HD platform.
A third HD/DTT licence was reserved for public broadcaster France Télévisions.
All three channels are expected to start broadcasting on the nationwide R5 Multiplex during the spring of 2008 using around 8Mbits/s each.
The CSA have also said that they will be offering a pay HD channel slot for bids before the end of the year and three further HD slots by the end of 2008.
The CSA is in the process of re-planning multiplexes to provide some of the extra space by switching to the more efficient MPEG-4 (H.264) compression instead of MPEG-2.
In total France will have seven HD DTT channels.
Main source: Reuters
Item added: 27th November 2007

CSA begins tender process
Broadcast regulator CSA has now opened the tendering process for DVB-H licence applications.
In total 16 television and 4-9 radio slots are now available on the M7 multiplex, to be used for Broadcast Mobile TV in France.
As previously reported three of the TV slots are already reserved for public service broadcaster France Télévisions.
Applicants can propose either free-to-air or pay services but must make these services available to 30% of the population within three years of the service launch and 60% within six years.
Applications must be in by 1700 on January the 15th 2008 and a decision on the successful applicants is expected in April with final authorisation given in June.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 14th November 2007


CSA invites applications for local TV licences
Broadcast regulator CSA has opened the application process for local DTT licences in five regions, Brest, Saint-Etienne, Nice and Menton, Montlucon and Strasbourg. These are the first of 25 regions expected to be permitted local TV by CSA. Further invitations to tender, for the remaining regions, will take place on what is called a ‘regular’ basis.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 14th November 2007


ARCEP publishes summary of its Digital Dividend consultation
ARCEP the French regulator for Electronic Communication and Post has published a summary of its recent Digital Dividend consultation. Although the discussion was primarily about the telecommunications sector the consultation also touched on the allocation of the UHF TV band to mobile services as well as on satellite delivered services such as DVB-SH. Some contributors also discussed the question of whether additional digital TV channels should also be broadcast in the digital radio allocations in Band III and L-band.
Source: ARCEP website
Item added: 14th November 2007



Albanel reserves three mobile TV slots for France Télévisions
French Minister for Culture, Christine Albanel has reserved three program service slots on the DVB-H Mobile TV platform for Public Service Broadcaster France Télévisions, in conjunction with regulator CSA.
In October, France Télévisions had requested the allocation of at least 4 programme service slots for its services France 2, France 3, France 4 and France 5.
It is expected that the CSA will invite candidates to tender for the 14-17 programme service slots available on the mobile TV platform in mid-November.
Source: Rapid TV News
Item added: 7th November 2007



DVB-H tender invitation expected in November
CSA, have announced plans to invite candidates to tender for DVB-H broadcast licences in the first two weeks of November.
It is expected that 14-17 service slots will be made available to broadcasters although some are already put aside for France Television.
Recently France Television, the public service broadcaster, has been lobbying for four slots on the mobile TV platform so that France 2, France 3, France 4 and France 5 programmes will be available to users.
Source: La Tribune
Item added: 30th October 2007

DTT coverage up to 89% by the end of 2008
The CSA have announced that DTT coverage will be extended to 89% of the population by the end of 2008.
The increased coverage will take place in three phases planned for completion in June, October and December and reach 208 additional zones.
Each French department will have a DTT coverage of 75% by the end of the process.
By the end of 2007 DTT coverage will have reached 85% of the population and 110 departments increasing to 95% by the end of 2011.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 30th October 2007

Further HD Tests in France
More experimental HD broadcasts have been approved by the media regulator CSA.
The additional HD broadcasts on the, DTT platform, will take place in Paris, Lyon, Marseilles, Bordeaux and Rennes during October, with programming provided by TF1, Arte and M6.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 16th October 2007

HDTV broadcast candidates present proposals
Four candidates, seeking licences to transmit HD programmes on the French DTT platform, have been presenting their proposals to the regulator CSA.
The candidates are Metropole Television (M6), TF1, AB NT and Canal +.
Metropole Television already broadcasts an HD version of M6 for several hours each day on cable and satellite and proposes that the DTT service will be free to air.
TF1 And AB NT also propose free to air services whilst Canal + wants to use its already launched HD cable and satellite programs as Pay DTT HD on the new platform.
CSA is expected to announce its decision on who gets the two HD licences, at the end of the year. Services would be expected to begin in the first half of 2008.
A third HD/DTT licence has been reserved for the public service broadcaster France Television.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 16th October 2007

113 transmission sites converted to DTT
The CSA (Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel) has said that the 6B phase of the DTT roll out will be reached on the 15th December. This means that viewers in Abbeville, Amiens, Dunkerque, Hirson, Lille, Mézières, Reims and Valenciennes will be able to access DTT services. Reaching this phase of the digitisation plan completes the conversion of the first 113 transmission sites.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 9th October 2007

DVB-H standard selected for mobile TV
The French government has decreed that DVB-H will be the standard for mobile television in France and that DVB-SH can be used to provide complimentary coverage.
At the end of October potential service providers will be able to tender for DVB-H licences with the intention that commercial services will be launched in time for the Beijing Olympics, with full deployment by 2010.
The spectrum available for use is designated M7, and only covers 30% of the population at present. After the analogue to digital switchover it is expected that additional frequencies will be made available to extend mobile TV coverage.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 2nd October 2007

DTT penetration reaches 27%
The latest figures from TNT (Télévision Numérique pour Tous) and consultants GfK indicate that 27% of French households are now equipped to access DTT services.
GfK estimate that 11.4 million DTT receivers have been purchased or rented since the start of the service in March 2005.
In the last six months 3.2 million DTT receivers were sold or rented, up 40% on the previous 6 months.
By September 26th, GfK estimate that 8,307,000 receivers were sold, 4,219,000 of which were adapters, 2,554,000 were IDTV’s and 1,255,000 were in computers and other PC peripherals.
Source: Télésatellite
Item added: 2nd October 2007
 

CSA opens consultation on local television services
Broadcast regulator, CSA, has opened a consultation on local television services, which will operate on the DTT platform.
The consultation aims to gain a better understanding of the needs of the public and commercial broadcasters, who provide these services. It also wants to ensure that sufficient capacity is made available for local services and has already reserved at least one programmes slot in multiplex R1 for this purpose.18 regions have launched one television service already, in this multiplex, whilst 7 services have been launched in the Paris region on an additional multiplex.
The consultation is open until 30th November 2007.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 2nd October 2007



DVB-H service before summer 2008
The French Ministry of Culture has announced that it will launch mobile TV, using DVB-H, before the beginning of the summer of 2008, in time for the Beijing Olympics.
The CSA have already received 47 responses to its consultation document on the launch of mobile TV from broadcasters, distributors, mobile operators and other interested parties.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 25th September 2007

DTT reaches Alsace with the latest licence issue
The broadcast regulator Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA) has issued the multiplex licenses for Phase 6A of the launch of DTT services. By the end of October transmitters will come on the air to serve the northeastern part of the country including the cities of Forbach, Metz, Mulhouse, Nancy, Sarrebourg, Strasbourg and Verdun.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 18th September 2007


Government declares support for HD on DTT
The Minister of Culture, Christine Albanel, wants the television services on the DTT platform to be available in high-definition (HD).
She stated: "In 2012, HD will become the standard for television broadcasting just as colour television is today."
With this aim, Albanel will meet with broadcast regulators to ensure that sufficient frequencies are made available for HD services on the terrestrial platform.
Already, three HD services will be launched on the DTT platform in early 2008.
Main source: Digitag from ITRnews
Item added: 14th September 2007


DTT multiplexes re-organised
Television programme services on several DTT multiplexes were changed on the 13th September to make room for local DTT services
The digital multiplex reconfiguring by CSA, the broadcast regulator, will make space for 18 local services which are already available on the analogue terrestrial platform.
The CSA is also expected to invite candidates to tender for several more local DTT licenses.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 14th September 2007

Mobile TV business model differences
According to an article in Les Echos two different business models for the delivery of mobile TV are emerging in the French marketplace.
Whilst French broadcast media companies, including Lagardere, Bollore, NRJ, and BFM, want to offer free mobile TV channels, mobile network operators want to charge a monthly subscription of €5 to €15.
The report goes on to say that Bollore wants a "large proportion" of mobile TV channels to be free, France Television "favours a free model in principle" and manufacturer Sony wants free to view to be predominant.
Supporting Pay TV, Bouygues Telecom, a sister company of broadcaster TF1, is firmly in favour, whilst Orange warns that anything other than Pay TV would jeopardise investment.
CSA plan to launch the tender document for the new service in October.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 28th August 2007

Four candidates for the two DTT HD channels
The CSA have announced that four applications for the two planned HD TV channels were received by the August 20th deadline.
Three of the applications were for free to view HD channels and one for a Pay TV channel.
The free channels were proposed by Metropolis Television for a channel called M6 HD, TF1 for TF1 HD and AN NT SA for Terranova HD. Group Canal+ SA applied for the HD Pay TV channel.
A decision on the licence awards is expected in early December with HD launches expected during 2008. The two HD channels awarded are expected to be joined by a third HD channel which is being reserved for public broadcasting.
Source: Challenges.fr
Item added: 21st August 2007



CSA announces new sites for DTT expansion
The French broadcast regulator CSA has selected another 65 transmitting sites that will begin broadcasting DTT services by March 2008. This expansion is in line with previous announcements and will allow all regional capitals to access DTT services. The choices have been made so as to provide a homogeneous service without any territorial digital divide. In the next few weeks further DTT zones will be announced bringing the total number in operation to 250 by the end of 2008.
Source: CSA
Item added: 30th July 2007


CSA publishes the plan to 95% DTT coverage by end of 2011
The Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA) agreed at its meeting on 10 July 2007, the procedures for the extension of DTT coverage to reach 95% of the French population by the end of 2011.
The plan meets the legal goal of 95% coverage of the metropolitan population by the end of 2011, while guaranteeing a minimum of 91% coverage in each of the 99 'Departments' of the country. This is to ensure a homogeneous service avoiding any territorial 'digital divide'.
By the end of 2007, 85% coverage will be achieved by new DTT transmitters for Mulhouse, Strasbourg, Forbach, Metz, Nancy, Sarrebourg and Verdun which begin operation at the end of October, followed by transmitters for Abbeville, Amiens, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Cluses, Dunkirk, Gex-Vesancy, Hirson, Lille-Bouvigny, Longwy, Maubeuge, Mézières and Valencians operational by the end of December.
The Council also laid down annual objectives both at the national level and also by 'Department'. These objectives are as follows:

End of 2008 - 89% national coverage with a minimum per Department of 75%

End of 2009 - 92% national coverage with a minimum of coverage per Department of 85%

End of 2010 - 93% national coverage with a minimum per Department of 89%

End of 2011 - 95% national coverage with a minimum of coverage per Department of 91%.

Each year the plan for new transmitters will be defined, in discussion with multiplex operators and while giving priority to the areas where analogue TV will be switched off first, according to the national plan. By the end of July the CSA will define a list of more than 250 priority zones for 2008. The list will detail the major towns in some departments that are not already covered by DTT or where coverage needs to be improved.The CSA also said that it will pay particular attention to the methods needed to extend DTT to France's overseas communities.
Source: CSA Website in French - translation by DigiTAG
Item added: 16th July 2007


DVB-SH trial in France
SFR and Alcatel-Lucent are to perform technical tests using the DVB-SH standard in S-band (2.2GHz). The DVB-SH standard is the basis of Alcatel-Lucent’s “Unlimited Mobile TV solution”, a hybrid satellite and terrestrial solution whose objective is to find a broadcast solution for mass market TV mobile services.
The pilot will take place from June to September 2007 in Southwest France and evaluate the reception capability inside and outside buildings as well as on moving vehicles.
Source: Unstrung
Item added: 10th July 2007

Candidates sought to operate HDTV services
French broadcast regulator CSA is seeking applications from candidates to operate HDTV services on the fifth national DTT multiplex, R5.
Services formatted in 720 or more lines must be used with at least 25% of programmes in native HDTV, between 1600 and midnight averaged over the week during 2008, increasing to 30% in 2009.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 21st June 2007

DTT coverage increasing to 70%
Coverage will be extended to 70% of the population by the end of July with 11 new areas starting DTT transmission for the first time.
By the end of June eight new sites will begin broadcasting. They are Menton in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region; Bar-le-Duc, Epinal and Vittel in Lorraine; Chambéry and Montmélian in the Rhône-Alpes region; Troyes in Champagne-Ardenne, and Auxerre in Burgundy.
In July further transmitters for Dijon, Sens and Mâcon in the Burgundy region will begin operation.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 21st June 2007

Another HD trial over DTT announced
CSA, the French media authority has begun the process of assessing applications for a new HDTV trial over DTT planned to take place from July 13th until November 1st 2007. The trial will take place in Paris, Lyons and Marseille.
Source: CSA press release
Item added: 12th June 2007

Regional DTT licensees announced
CSA, the French Broadcast regulator has announced the successful candidates for the DTT multiplex in the French Ile-de France region which covers Paris and its suburbs.
Three channels were awarded for full time services while the fourth will be shared among four local community broadcast projects.
The full time channels are Côte Seine, IDF1, J2H and LTF.
The remaining fourth channel will be time shared between Demain IDF, BDM TV, Cinaps TV and Tele Bocal.
Licences should become effective before the end of July enabling the channels to begin broadcasting before the end of the year.
Main source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 12th June 2007

DTT increases viewer base in France
DTT continues to gain viewers from traditional TV in France according to viewing figures for May. According to Médiamétrie the ‘TNT’ channels increased their combined average audience by 3.1% to 17.1% as off May 27th. France 2 is the second most popular in France but the DTT channels are nearing this level. The public broadcaster has 17.8% of viewers down 1.7% in the last 12 months.
Conversely TF1 And Canal+ have slightly increased their viewer numbers.
Source: broadbandtvnews
Item added: 5th June 2007

HDTV on the terrestrial platform gets go ahead
Following the recent consultation on HDTV, the French broadcasting regulator CSA has announced that HDTV will become the standard definition of the future on the French terrestrial platform. They have concluded that it will be possible to launch three HDTV channels on a single multiplex, and the initial tender will ask for two channels with the other being reserved for public service broadcasting.
It is expected that the slots will be made available on the fifth multiplex (R5), which is currently unused. Services could begin as early as 2008.
Initially it is envisaged that a data rate of 7-8 Mbps would be required for each channel but the debate on a choice of either 720p or 1080i formats still continues.
Main source: CSA communiqués
Item added: 21st May 2007


'France Télé Numérique' to oversee analogue switch-off
The responsibility for managing ASO has been given to a newly set up organisation called France Télé Numérique. The members of this public body are the government with public and private broadcasters (France Télévisions, Arte-France, TF1, Métropole Télévison and Canal Plus).
The convention establishing the organisation was signed on 26 April 2007, and defines the details of its role in ensuring the overall switch off process is carried out smoothly. This includes coordination at the transmission and frequency spectrum technical level, being responsible for informing the public, and managing social support funding.
The initial budget for France Télé Numérique is set at €2Million for 2007.
Source: Digitag
Item added: 21st May 2007


Analogue Switch-off to begin in Autumn 2007
According to ZDnet.fr, analogue switch-off in France could begin as early as Autumn 2007. This will take place in regions where frequencies are scarce, generally along national borders and where frequencies must be shared between countries.
In these regions, it will not be possible to allow for the simulcast of analogue and digital terrestrial television services and the changeover will need to be immediate. Viewers will be given several months advance notice in order to prepare for the switchover.
In other regions in France, analogue switch-off is expected to take place between March 2008 and November 2011. Currently, the Minister of Culture and the broadcast regulator, CSA, are elaborating a detailed switch-off plan.
It is expected that viewers will be given at least 9 months of advanced notice prior to analogue switch-off.
Source: ZDnet.fr  and Digitag
Item added: 19th April 2007


DTT roll-out continues
The fifth phase of the DTT roll-out began on the 31st March, bringing DTT services to eight more regions and expanding coverage to 68% of the population.
The new regions are, Annecy (Haute-Savoie), Avignon (Vaucluse), Belfort (Territoire-de-Belfort), Chaumont (Haute-Marne), Creusot (Saône-et-Loire), Montbéliard) (Doubs), Parthenay (Deux-Sévres) and Voiron (Isére)
Source: CSA website
Item added: 10th April 2007


France supports DVB-H for mobile TV standard
The Minister for Culture, Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres gave his support for DVB-H to be the mobile TV standard during a presentation at the Salon de la reception numerique. He also called for a rapid launch of commercial services in France. His comments add support to EU commissioner Viviane Reding who recently announced her intention to make DVB-H the standard of choice for the EU. She would like services launched in time for Euro 2008, the UEFA European football championship.
Source: Neteco.com
Item added: 10th April 2007




DTT penetration reaches 22%
Since the launch of DTT in 2005, 8.2 million DTT receivers have been sold according to Gfk. This brings the DTT penetration to 22% of French TV households.
5.8 million of these DTT receivers were bought in specialised stores, 3.2 million of which where adaptors for screens or TV sets, 1.3 million where integrated into TV sets, 1 million in PC’s, 81,000 in DVD recorders and 58,000 in portable devices.
The remaining 2.4 million tuners were integrated in hybrid IPTV/DTT set top boxes from D’Alice, AOL, Darty, Free, Neuf, Cegetel and Orange.
The DTT service now covers 70% of the population with an 85% coverage target by the end of 2007.
Source: ZDNet France
Item added: 2nd April 2007


France Television gets funding for HD
The French public broadcaster, France Television, will push ahead with an expansion to HD digital terrestrial services following approval of a new five-year budget.
France 3 has already set aside a €21 million budget for its HD transition.
The French State has agreed to a 3.5% increase for 2008 and further increases expected to reach 2.9% in 2009 and 2.6% in 2010.
The budget will now be submitted to the financial and cultural committees of the French National Assembly for their approval.
Source: Broadband TV news
Item added: 21st March 2007



Alsace goes digital in October 2007
The French region of Alsace, on the border of France with Germany and Switzerland, is to be upgraded to digital TV in October 2007.
The necessary transmitter conversion work is planned for the 15th and 31st October, after which, TNT will be available to 80% of the population. The conversion takes place after agreements have been made with Germany and Switzerland to ensure that viewers in the region will continue to able to watch cross border television.
A Free to air package of 18 channels is now available to 63% of the French public.
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 21st March 2007



France leads European HDTV
France's new ‘TV of the Future’ law has taken an important step towards high definition television (HDTV) on the digital terrestrial television (DTT) platform by allocating capacity for HD channels and mandating HD tuners in HD-Ready TV sets, according to a report by Strategy Analytics.
According to its report, the decisions made in France will put increased pressure on other European countries to accelerate their own policies towards HD on DTT platforms. "Most other European countries are still at the discussion stage regarding the introduction of HDTV on their DTT platforms," notes David Mercer, Principal Analyst at Strategy Analytics. "France has taken an important lead by allocating the capacity for HDTV and ensuring that future HDTV’s will be able to receive these new channels. The industry will be satisfied that France has set clear policy goals on these important issues."
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 26th February 2007


CSA extends mobile TV consultation
The CSA have extended the deadline for submissions to its mobile TV consultation. The original submission date of 22nd February 2007 has now been extended and replies to the media regulator must now be delivered by March 15th, 2007.
Source: CSA
Item added: 26th February 2007



French National Assembly approves TV bill
The French National Assembly has approved the new TV bill entitled “Télévision du Futur” detailed in a “French Legislative update” in the latest Digitag web letter.
According to the web letter analogue switch off is to take place on a region-by-region basis beginning on 31st March 2008 and ending by 30th November 2011.
An amendment, proposed and approved, by the National Assembly mandates that all television sets sold in the next year must have a digital tuner. In addition, all HD television sets will need to have an HD MPEG4 AVC decoder included by December 1st 2008.
Following analogue switch off, DTT services will be available to 95% of the population and the remaining 5% will have access to the same services from a satellite transmission to be provided by the Government. The satellite service will be available from the summer of 2007. Viewers will have access to 20 free to air and 19 pay DTT services after switch off.
On the HD front it is expected that at least one multiplex will be made available for the launch of HD services by September 2007, in time for the Rugby World Cup.
The full article can be accessed by clicking on the link at the end of this item.
Source: Digitag webletter
Item added: 20th February 2007

DTV penetration reaches 37.9%    
According to a report from Consultancy firm NPA, Digital Television penetration in France reached 37.9% of the population by the end of 2006.
The report published on the TDF website lists DTT penetration at 15.1% by the end of 2006 with DTT coverage available to 63.65% of the population. In a further break down of these figures the report lists DTT coverage at 25% of the population in 25 of the 100 French “departments” and 50% in a further 64. The full report can be accessed on the TDF website by clicking on the link at the end of this item.
Source: TDF report
Item added: 6th February 2007

Update on France
Latest figures show that over 6.8 million DTT receivers had been sold or rented in France by the end of 2006.
According to GfK, 4,725,000 receivers had been purchased, of which 2,800,000 were set-top boxes, 900,000 were iDTVs and 950,000 were computers with an integrated DTT tuner.It is estimated that 19% of television households accessed DTT services at the end of 2006, compared with 13% in August 2006.
A consultations on Mobile TV has been opened by the CSA.
The public consultation aims to gather industry opinion on the content offering, business models and frequency usage. The consultation coincides with the National Assembly's upcoming debate on a proposed media law, which would allow for the introduction of mobile television services. Responses must be sent to the CSA by 1st March 2007.
A consultation on HDTV is also taking place and will end on  the 15th February 2007. The consultation paper can be retrieved by clicking on CSA
Sources: CSA website, Associated Press and Digitag
Item added: 18th January 2007

DTT rollout plan for 2007 published
The CSA have released a new DTT road map for 2007, detailing the regions which will have access to DTT services in the early part of the year.
DTT services will be available in the following regions and cities:
15 February 2007: Bergerac region
31 March 2007: 8 regions, including the cities of Annecy, Avignon, Belfort, Chaumont, Le Creusot, Montbéliard, Parthenay and Voiron
30 June 2007: 11 regions, including Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (Menton), Champagne-Ardennes (Troyes), Bourgogne (Auxerre, Dijon, Mâcon, Sens), Lorraine (Bar-le-Duc, Epinal, Vittel) and Rhone-Alpes (Chambéry, Montmélian).
Launches for the second part of the year have been put on hold until international agreements with border countries on the switch-off of certain analogue TV repeaters have been signed. Funding to support this second phase of digital switchover also has to be made available.
Regions awaiting the new agreement and funding before switch off can take place are:
Alsace (Mulhouse, Strasbourg), Lorraine (Forbach, Longwy, Metz, Nancy, Sarrebourg, Verdun)
Champagne-Ardennes (Mézières)
Nord-Pas-de-Calais (Boulogne-sur-Mer, Dunkerque, Lille, Maubeuge, Valenciennes)
Picardie (Abbeville, Amiens, Hirson); and Rhône-Alpes (Cluses, Gex).
With the launch of the new DTT services, in all the above regions, between 80-85% of the population will be able to access Digital Terrestrial Television.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 16th January 2007

Public consultation on HD/DTT opened by the CSA
Broadcast regulator CSA has decided to open a public consultation on high-definition television services on the terrestrial platform. The regulator believes that HD should be available on the DTT platform with the eventual aim of serving as the defacto television standard.
The CSA hopes that the consultation will gather the opinions of the broadcast industry on the delivery of HD/DTT services and make proposals on business models and the best use of spectrum. Responses must be submitted to the CSA by 15 February 2007.
The National Assembly is expected to review a proposed law, on the future of television, which already includes a provision for HDTV, in early 2007. The CSA would like to issue licenses for HDTV as soon as allowed to do so by law.
Source: CSA website and Digitag
Item added: 27th December 2006

DVB-H testing in Metz
Network operator TDF has been authorised, by the CSA, to undertake DVB-H testing in Metz, which is located in the eastern part of France, near the border with Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. The trial license is valid until 31 August 2007.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 27th December 2006

DVB-H in the Paris subway
A month after the first tests of DVB-H in the Paris subway, further tests were made between the Assemblee National and   Concorde stations and shown to the Minister delegate to industry, Francois Loos.
The tests, which were successful, made possible the reception of Eurosport, France 2, I-TV, M6 Musique and Europe 2 on the moving underground train.
DVB-H technology for the delivery of TV to mobile/portable handheld devices has been selected for use in France over other competing standards and the modified law, allowing mobile TV, will be adopted in the French Senate in January 2007. This will make it possible to launch the first commercial service in time for the Rugby World Cup, which takes place in September and October 2007. TDF plan to cover 70-80% of the population in the main 100 urban areas of France amounting to 30% of the population.
Source: Neteconomie
Item added: 12th December 2006

Senate approves “Television for the Future” bill
The French Senate has approved the “Television for the Future” bill, proposed by the government and setting the date of the final analogue switch-off as 30th November 2011.
The switch-off begins on 31st March 2008 on condition that 95% of the population will be able to access DTT on completion of the process. The remainder of the population are expected to have access to the new channels via a free satellite service, which is planned to begin operation in the summer of 2007, three months after the adoption of the new legislation.
As expected the bill also stipulates that the three commercial broadcasters on the analogue platform, TF1, Canal+, and M6 will receive a 5 year extension to their “bonus” DTT licenses in exchange for them supporting the analogue switch-off programme.
Sources: Digitag and advanced-television.com, 23rd Nov 06
Item added: 28th November 2006

Twenty two candidates for DTT services in Paris
The broadcasting regulator CSA has received 22 applications for the four local DTT licenses available in the region of Paris.
Short-listed applicants will be published in March 2007 and the authorisations issued in May 2007. Service should begin before the end of 2007.
All of the applications submitted are for free-to-air television services.
Source: advanced-television.com
Item added: 21st November 2006  

Senate reviews proposed law on Analogue Switch Off
A proposed law on analogue switch-off and the digital dividend is currently ready for review by the French Senate. If approved, it could come into force by January 2007.
According to the proposed law, analogue switch-off will begin on 31 March 2008 and end on 30 November 2011, proceeding on a region-by-region basis. The broadcast regulator, CSA, should complete the ASO plan by July 2007.
The proposed law calls for an extension to the planned 85% DTT population coverage and DTT license holders will be able to extend the duration of their license from 2015 to 2025 on condition that they extend their DTT coverage.
In addition, broadcasters on the terrestrial analogue platform (TF1, M6 and Canal+) may each receive an extra DTT license in December 2011 if they agree to end their analogue transmissions before their licenses lapse. They may also be able to extend their DTT licenses to 2022 should they agree to make their services available on free-to-view on satellite and participate in the work of a proposed working group on analogue switch-off.
Senate amendments to the law include the following:
- Provision for a large-scale information campaign on ASO,
- Financial support for low-income households towards the purchase of a DTT receiver,
- DTT population coverage of 95%
- Include Parliament as part of the decision-making body involved in the allocation of the "digital dividend".
Source: Digitag from La Tribune
Item added: 21st November 2006

DTT penetration nearing 10%
According to a study published by Médiamétrie, 9.7% of French households are equipped to receive DTT services. The count included people over five years of age with access to DTT receivers or receivers equipped with adapters enabling them to access 18 channels of DTT and this amounted to 5.525 million people. The study took place form the 4th to 29th October this year.
Source: Reuters
Item added: 14th November 2006

DTT coverage to increase to 65% of the population
DTT coverage in France will increase to 65% of the population by the end of October 2006. Currently, DTT services are available to 58.5% of the population.
The cities that will now have access to DTT services include: Albi, Alès, Aubenas, Aurillac, Autun, Carcassonne, Chartres, Dieppe, Guéret, Hyères, La Rochelle, Le Puy-en-Velay, Limoges, Mende, Montluçon, Montpellier, Neufchâtel-en-Bray, Perpignan, Poitiers, Privas and Ussel.
Source:Digitag and   CSA website
Item added: 17th October 2006

New DTT receiver specification published
The CSA has published a revised document outlining the requirements for DTT receivers in France. This revised document replaces the document published in July 2001. It can be found on the CSA website
Source: CSA news   (thanks to Digitag)
Item added: 26th September 2006

More HD tests in Paris, Lyon and Marseilles
The French broadcast regulator CSA authorised the first HDTV tests on the terrestrial platform which began on May 28th and were completed by July 17th.
Now CSA have announced a second HD trial on the DTT platform, planned to take,place, as before, in Lyon, Marseille and Paris.
The trial will run from September 2006 to early January 2007. Broadcasters authorised to take part are BFM TV, Canal+, Direct 8, M6, NRJ 12, Arte and France Televisions.
Services will be coded using MPEG-4 and broadcast free-to-air.
Source: CSA
Item added: 17th September 2007

3.1 million receivers sold
GfKs latest figures show that 3.1 million DTT receivers have now been sold in France compared with 2.5 million at the end of March 2006.
This figure does not include DTT tuners in portable computers or hybrid DTT/IPTV set-top boxes currently used in some households.
The breakdown of DTT receivers is listed as follows:
2 million set-top boxes
425,000 IDTVs
651,000 computers with an integrated DTT tuner
34,000 portable DTT receivers
Source: GfK
Item added: 5th September 2006

The Council of State approves media law
The Council of State has approved proposed media legislation, which would allow for the introduction of new services, such as HDTV and DVB-H, on the terrestrial television platform. The proposed media law also calls for the regional switch-off of analogue television starting in March 2008 and ending on 30 November 2011. Currently, the broadcast regulator CSA is putting together a roadmap for analogue switch-off.
The next step in the process is that the proposed media legislation will need to be approved by the National Assembly this autumn.
Source: AFP and Télé Satellite
Item added: 1st August 2006

Multiplex made available in Paris for local services
The CSA has invited broadcasters to apply for 4 DTT local service licenses for use on a multiplex which will be made available in the Paris region.
Broadcasters have until 16 October to submit their applications and it is expected that licenses will be issues in March and services launched in October 2007.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 26th July 2006

Regulators approve new media bill  
Arcep the telecoms and postal regulator and the broadcast regulator CSA have both given their approval to the recent government bill on the future of television. However both the CSA and Arcep have expressed their reservations to some of the proposals. Arcep expressed reservations over the proposal to award existing analogue broadcasters with extra capacity after analogue switch-off and the CSA have issues over the proposed switch off process.
The next step is for the Council of State to give its opinion on the bill by the end of this week (21st July).
Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 17th July 2006

Free-to-view satellite services to be launched by end of year
The government has announced plans to launch a free-to-view satellite service in France. By doing so, the government would like to provide all viewers with access to the same services as are available on the DTT platform.
This means that viewers will be able to access the 18 television programme services on the DTT platform as well as the 24 local services offered by regional broadcaster France 3. However, the broadcasters of TF1, M6 and i-Télé have not yet confirmed their participation.
Currently, DTT coverage stands at 58% of the population and will increase to 70% by March 2007.
The satellite services are expected to be launched by the end of the year on Atlantic Bird 3.
Source:Digitag (attributed to AFP)
Item added: 11th July 2006

Second DTT/HD trial planned for September
The first HDTV trial on the DTT platform took place between the 28th May and the 17th July in Paris, Lyon and Marseille with broadcasters Télévisions, Arte, TF1, Canal+ and M6. Unfortunately not all broadcasters were able to take part in this trial and now the CSA is planning a second trial from the 1st September to the 7th January 2007. Licenses will be available for use in Paris (ch23), Lyon (ch27) and Marseille (ch22). Preference will be given to free-to-view broadcasters on the DTT platform, who didn’t take part in the previous trial. The material used must be HD content coded using MPEG 4. Applications must be received by the 13th July.
Source: CSA
Item added: 4th July 2006

Law to allow for the introduction of HDTV and DVB-H announced
The Government has now made the proposal to modify the outdated broadcasting law of 30th September 1986. The modification will allow for the introduction of new television services including HDTV and DVB-H which are currently prevented by the 1986 law.
The proposal should be ready for parliamentary debate by September.
The proposals also sets a date of the 30th November 2011 for analogue TV switch off, with the process beginning in 2009.
Source: Le Monde and NetEconomy
Item added: 26th June 2006

Full Mobile TV (DVB-H) coverage for France in 2008
In an upbeat statement on Wednesday in Paris, Francois Loos, minister for industry, said that the reception of mobile TV everywhere in France could be possible in 2008. Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecom already have video available on their cellphone networks but it is not possible to have many users on these one to one services.
This was the reason given for the exceptional interest in DVB-H technology which provides a one too many broadcast approach. He said that this was why three operators were currently trialing DVB-H in France and also added that more research was taking place to integrate satellite transmissions with the system so as to allow better coverage outside the main city areas.
However he also made clear that before launching DVB-H across the country frequencies must be found and allotted to these services and that the situation is made more difficult by an existing 1986 telecoms. law which needs amendment.
The bill to amend this law is expected in the next few weeks and Philippe Levrier a member of the deciding council said that as soon as the documents arrived a decision should be possible in a few weeks.
Sources various: AFP Agence France-Presse, Reuters, Tribune de Geneve on line
Item added: 16th June 2006

DTT coverage extended to 58%
The CSA have announced that DTT coverage in France is now 58% of the population a total of 15 million households. The has been brought about by the completion of 19 new transmitting stations. The next DTT coverage extension is expected to be in October when 60% of the population should have access.
The regions covered by the new transmiters are:

Aquitaine                               (Agen, Arcachon)
Auvergne                               (Clermont-Ferrand)
Basse-Normandie                   (Alençon, Caen)
Bretagne                                (Lorient)
Corse                                    (Bastia)
Centre                                   (Argenton-sur-Creuse, Tours)
Franche-Comté                       (Besançon)
Haute-Normandie                    (Evreux)
Ile-de-France                          (Meaux)
Limousin                                 (Brive-La-Gaillarde)
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur     (Cannes, Nice, Saint-Raphaël)
Pays de la Loire                       (Angers, Laval)
Rhone-Alpes                            (Roanne)

Source: CSA
Item added: 16th June 2006

HD/DTT trial has begun
The CSA has confirmed plans for a Free-to-Air HDTV trial on the terrestrial platform. Permission has been given to Broadcasters TF1, M6, Canal+, Arte and France Televisions to transmit programmes between the 28th May and the 17th July. The trial will be available in Paris, Lyon and Marseilles.
Source: CSA
Item added: 1st June 2006

Call for HDTV on the DTT platform
The DTT promotion group comprised of free-to-air broadcasters and network operators, Groupement Télévision numérique pour tous, has called for available spectrum to be allocated to free-to-air broadcasters to allow for the provision of high-definition and mobile television services. In addition, spectrum should be allocated free-of-charge.
The Groupement Télévision numérique pour tous is comprised of most of the free-to-air broadcasters on the DTT platform, including public and commercial broadcasters. Members include NT1, ARTE, Direct 8, France 2, France 3, France 4, France 5, la chaîne parlementaire, NRJ12, Gulli and BFM TV.
The statement from the Groupement TNT is a response to the public consultation launched by the Ministry of Culture on the launch of HD and mobile services on the terrestrial platform.
Original Source: AFP
Main Source: Digitag
Item added: 1st June 2006

CSA announces the next phase of DTT roll-out
The Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuCSA) has announced the next phase of DTT roll-out in France. By 31 March 2007, 70% of the population will be able to access DTT services.

The new regions to access DTT services are:
- Bourgogne : Sens, Auxerre, Dijon, Mâcon, Le Creusot
- Rhône-Alpes : Annecy, Chambéry, Montmélian, Voiron
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azurvignon, Menton
- Lorraine : Bar-le-Duc, Vittel, Epinal
- Champagne-Ardenne : Troyes, Chaumont
- Franche-Comté : Belfort, Montbéliard
- Poitou-Charentes : Parthenay

This has been made possible by international negotiations with border countries, on frequency allocation, which has identified frequencies for 19 of the 40 transmission sites already under construction. The discussions continue to find further frequencies for the 115 sites which constitute the planned national network for DTT.

Current DTT coverage stands at 50%, and is expected to reach 66% by October 2006.
CSA has also presented a plan to provide DTT services in the border region of Alsace. The plan calls for the use of frequencies currently utilised for analogue services and this has caused the CSA to proposed that the digital switchover pilot takes place this year.
The CSA has recommended that this pilot operation takes place at the site in Niederbronn-les-Bains (Alsace).
Source: CSA website
Item added: 16th May 2006

New Broadcast Consultation begins
A consultation process to review the 1986 broadcasting law has been launched by the French Government. The present law does not take account of digital technologies such as DTT and Internet access. The review and subsequent legal amendments to the old law are needed to take account of mobile TV with TF1, M6 and Canal plus requiring the current allocation of seven channels per company to be extended before they can go ahead with new services.
The new law will also make HDTV broadcast over DTT and cable possible.
Main Source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 8th May 2006

Presidential support given for digital switchover
French president Jacques Chirac has given his support for digital switchover and has mandated a Strategic Committee to manage the switch to an all-digital environment, planned to take place in the next five years.
The Strategic Committee is headed by the Prime Minister and consists of theMinisteries of culture, industry and national planning, who will work closely with regulators and members of the broadcast industry.
The President has called for an analogue switch-off pilot this year and it is possible that the pilot takes place in the Alsace region. Analogue switch-off is likely to take place regionally over a five year period.
Analogue switch-off will free up the necessary frequencies to increase the coverage of DTT services.
It is planned that 95% of the population will be able to access DTT services when analogue switch-off is completed.
Source: Digitag and  Le Monde
Item added: 7th May 2006

CSA allows limited HD/DTT trials
The CSA has announced plans to clear channels for HDTV trials on a temporary basis in Paris, Lyon and Marseille. The trial may be extended to other cities on a non-interference basis to other services.
The CSA has invited interested parties to apply for licences permitting HDTV services using DTT platforms for the trials which will last for a period of nine months.
Applicants will be able to use MPEG-4 compression to provide two HDTV services in the allocated channel slot.
The closing date for applications is April 28th, 2006.
Source: CSA
Item added: 20th April 2006

Lack of free spectrum limits DTT growth
The broadcast regulator Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel (CSA) has informed the French Prime Minister that the population coverage of DTT will only reach 70% of the population by March 2007 instead of the planned 85%. In an official letter the CSA says that the planned for coverage is not possible due to the lack of available frequencies in some regions bordering other countries. Negotiations on frequency allocations begun in November still had not reached a satisfactory conclusion by January 2006. Agreements after this date do not allow sufficient time for digitisation of transmitter sites by the March 2007 deadline. It is expected that only 15 sites will now be digitised by March 2007 instead of the 40 required to comfortable meet the initial plan for 85% coverage.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 12th April 2006

Analogue switch off set for 2011
The Minister of Culture and Communications, Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, has announced that France will end its analogue terrestrial television services on 1 January 2011.

Analogue switch-off is expected to take place region-by-region beginning in 2007.
In January, President Jacques Chirac had called for the release of frequencies used for analogue terrestrial television. He would like these channels to be used for new digital services whose deployment is already being limited by the lack of free spectrum.
(See item above)
Source: ZDNet.fr
Item added: 12th April 2006

MHP trials on the DTT platform
The French broadcast regulator Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel (CSA) has authorised NRJ 12 to undertake an interactive trial using the MHP standard.
NRJ 12 broadcasts its services on the free-to-air DTT platform. The MHP trial is expected to last for a month.
Source: CSA
Item added: 30th March 2006

92% of the population to be able to receive TNT by 2011
According to a study by L’institut NPA Conseil, 92% of the French population should be able to receive digital terrestrial television by 2011. From 2008 it is expected that Terestrial Numeric Television (TNT) will be the major form of reception , ahead of both cable and satellite. In 2011, 24 million homes will be “connected” for digital TV compared with 6.4 million in 2006.
The item also goes on to say that 10 million HDTV’s will be in French homes by 2011/12.
Source: MEDIABB
Item added: 30th March 2006

TNT in 2.5 Million homes after only one year
One year after its launch terrestrial numeric television is in 2.519 million homes according to Marc Pallain president of TNT (Télévision numérique par Tous)
A recent Gfk survey indicates that there ar 1,423,000 digital TV adapters, 375,000 computers with adapters and 173,000 TV sets equipped with TNT capability.
Source: MEDIABB
Item added: 30th March 2006

First results of DVB-H trial
The first results of the DVB-H trial in Paris conducted by Canal+, Nokia, Towercast and SFR are positive. Of the 500 users, 73% have indicated their satisfaction and over 65% indicated that they would be willing to subscribe to the services.
Users watched mobile television for an average of 20 minutes per day. Over half of the participants used DVB-H services from their homes while 14% used the services on public transportation and 12% while at work.
The three periods of heavy usage included mornings (9.00-10.00), lunchtime (13.00-14.00) and the evening (20.00-22.00). The most popular programme services were news, music and sports.
Source: Digitag and IRT news
Item added: 7th March 2006

1.73 million DTT receivers in the market
According to recent reports by the DTT association Groupement TNT, approximately 1.73 million DTT receivers have been sold or rented in France during 2005. In addition it estimates that 3 million STB's will be sold in 2006.
The actual penetration of DTT is 14% in the areas with service and 7% in the whole of France.
Source: Digitag
Item added: 23rd January 2006

DVB-T boxes head the Christmas list
DVB-T boxes were a must have gift in the lead up to Christmas, boosting the number of households able to receive the new transmissions to 1.3 million, only nine months after the launch of DTT in France.
Already the entry level boxes are selling at around €59, the same level as DVD players and at a level where purchasing decisions are easy. The 18 digital channels available since March will be joined by 10 new pay TV channels in 2006.
Source: Digitag
Item added: 9th January 2006

Parisians watch TV on Mobile phones
For the last few weeks several hundred Parisians have been able to watch TV on mobile phones.
Despite channel scarcity, CSA have found the frequencies necessary for four trials to take place simultaneously. Three use DVB-H in the UHF TV band and one uses DMB-T in the VHF band.
The slight differences in coding between some participants is given as one of the reasons  why a single multiplex is not used for all the DVB-H transmissions according to the article on 01 Net .
TDF and TPS both use channel 37, while Canal+ transmits on part of an existing multiplex DVB R5 which may be used for HDTV, later in 2006.
The tests will establish how many transmiters would be needed to provide a DVB-H service for Paris although plans to do so are not yet finalised.
Source: 01 Net
Item added: 4th January 2006

DTT reaches one million homes
According to the market research institute GFK, Digital Terrestrial TV (DTT) may be received in over 1,035 million French homes amounting to a penetration of 9.5% in the currently covered areas.
The million plus total consists of 890,000 Set-Top-Boxes, 35,000 DTT televisions and 110,000 adapters fitted to computers.
On average 40,000 adapters are being sold every week and sales increased by 85% during September and October.
Source: LeFigaro
Item added: 29th November 2005

Canal Plus to launch pay DTT next week
Canal Plus is to launch its pay DTT service in France on 21 November according Advanced-television.com and has ordered 200,000 MPEG4 DTT decoders for roll out in the zones covered by DTT transmissions.
Source: Advanced-television.com, 15th November 2005
Item added: 15th November 2005

Pay DTT launch announced, MPEG-4 testing begins, Report on accelerating DTT roll-out released
Administrative details have been completed for the launch of pay-DTT services in France. A recent government decree allowing service providers to offer pay-DTT services and the CSA allocating a number of slots for each pay-DTT service has cleared the path for the launch.
Canal+ is ready to launch in mid-November, by which time its MPEG-4, SDTV set-top boxes will be delivered. TPS is planning to launch services at the end of the year.

Eurosport have also been given permission, by CSA, to begin experimental television transmissions using MPEG-4 in standard definition. The trial will last until Eurosport officially launches its pay-DTT services, deadline March 1st 2006.

A report on accelerating the launch of DTT services has also been released and can be downloaded from the CSA website. The report highlights the conditions and requirements necessary to ensure that 85% of French residents can access DTT services by March 2007.
Sources: CSA website and Digitag
Item added: 8th November 2005

Coverage increased to 50% of the population
The DTT service coverage increased to 50%, from the previous 35%, on October 15th, when 17 new transmitter sites came into service.
The new transmitters provide DTT to Ajaccio, Bayonne, La Rhune, Bourges, Caen, Herouville, Cherbourg Digosville, Grenoble, Tour-sans-Venin, Le Havre, Harfleur, Lyon, Mont Pilat, Le Mans, Nantes, Orleans, Rheims, Hauntvilliers, St Etienne, Toulon and Toulouse.
A further coverage increase is planned for June 2006 when a further 19 transmission sites begin broadcasting.
Source: Advanced Television.com, 18th Oct 2005
Item added: 18th October 2005

French group backs MHP for DTT
French interactive television trade group AFDESI (Association Française des Dévelopeurs, Editeurs et Fournisseurs de Services en télévision Interactive) has recommended the adoption of Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) as the common standard for interactive services on the country’s DTT channels.
Source: Advanced Television.com 20th September 2005
Item added: 20th September 2005


DVB-H trials to begin in Paris
CSA, the French broadcast regulator, has given its approval for four trials of TV broadcasting to mobile receivers. Three of the trials will use DVB-H and the fourth T-DMB. All of the trails are planned to take place in Paris.
The first trial from TDF will start on September 15th and last for nine months. The second trial also in the same channel 37 will be led by TPS.
Canal + will lead the third DVB-H trial on channel 29 for a period of nine months.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 19th September 2005


HDTV MPEG4 broadcast from the Eiffel Tower
TPS broadcast a short HDTV movie coded in MPEG4 from its Eiffel Tower transmitter on September 14th, 2005.
The HD channel was inserted in the existing multiplex and was 11Mpbs in total. The quality of the transmission was compared with the same material coded in MPEG2 at a bit rate of 18Mbps and no quality differences were reported.
MPEG4 SDTV transmissions have already been authorised for all commercial DTT services in France.
Source: Electronique Biz
Item added: 19th September 2005

Report on mobile TV submitted to Prime Minister
A report on broadcasting to mobile receivers has been submitted to the French Prime Minister.
The report provides an analysis of existing technologies that will enable broadcasting to mobile receivers. It also provides an overview of the conditions necessary to ensure a large scale deployment of such services in France.
The government has stated that it will encourage pilot projects with the aim of providing such services to the general public. The report calls for a commercial launch of services between the end of 2006 and 2008.
According to the report, one of the major issues affecting broadcasting to mobile services is finding the necessary frequencies. As such, the report calls for the establishment of a working group that can look into these issues and submit its recommendations in 2006.
It is likely that the standard selected in France to provide mobile television services will need to be made in coordination with other European countries. 
Report - Télévision numérique et mobilité 
Source: Digitag
Item added: 30th August 2005


CSA authorises experimental licences
Canal+ and TPS have been authorised to proceed with transmitting MPEG-4 on their respective multiplexes ahead of the pay TV latest start date of March 1st 2006.
Source: CSA website
Item added: 30th August 2005


DTT roll-out defined by CSA
CSA, the French broadcasting regulator has announced more details of the DTT launch.
Channel numbers for the four recently licensed free to air channels where announced and they can begin broadcasting from September 1st.
The four additional pay TV channels also announced, have 6-months to start broadcasting.
CSA also restructured some of the existing multiplexes as well as deciding on 19 new transmission sites for Spring 2006 and another 24 for Autumn 2006.
These additional sites will extend DTT coverage to two thirds of the French population by Autumn 2006.
CSA also made it clear that the intention is to extend coverage of free TV channels to the whole of the population. A joint working group has been set up and its proposals on how coverage can be extended are expected by October 1st 2005.
Source: CSA
Item added: 25th July 2005

France adopts MPEG-4 for terrestrial HDTV
In a statement issued on the 24th May 2005 the Ministry of Economy announced that the MPEG-4 (H.264) compression standard must be used for HDTV services on any terrestrial channel both pay and public. MPEG-4 is already obligatory for Pay TV operators whilst public service operators can continue to use MPEG-2 for standard definition digital terrestrial services.
Source AFP
Item added: 2nd June 2005

8 new national services selected for TNT
The CSA has selected 8 new programmes for the Télévision Numérique Terrestre (TNT) digital television platform.
4 of the 8 will be free-to-air with the remaining 4 Pay-TV services.
The final licence agreements for the new services are planned for completion and signature during June 2005.
New frequencies or capacity within existing planned multiplexes will be negotiated when legislation allowing the use of MPEG-4 as well as the current MPEG-2 is completed.
Source: CSA 
Item added: 10th May 2005

France launches digital terrestrial television
Télévision Numérique Terrestre, the first French DTT service was launched by the French prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin on the 31st March 2005. Branded as La Télévision Numérique pour tous, or digital television for all, it will have three new channels initially with up to 14 free-to-air services later. At present the service is reported to be restricted to 35% of the population from 17 transmitter sites, covering Paris, Aquitaine, Bretagne, Marseille, Lille, Lyon and Toulouse. Coverage is planned to increase to 50% of the population by September and 80% by 2007.
Raffarin has also been quoted as saying that 100% of the population will be covered within three years of the launch.
More details at http://www.tnt-gratuite.fr
Item added: 5th April 2005

CSA readies DTT coverage
In its plenary meeting on 22 March, the French broadcasting regulator approved a letter for the French Prime Minister detailing coverage zones, ahead of the impending launch of DTT on 31 March.

The CSA says the current aim of reaching 85 percent of the population from 115 transmission sites by 2007 is perfectly achievable, but the fate of the remaining TV viewers calls for action by the public sector. For the most part, they are people who live in mountainous or border zones beyond the reach of DTT in the coming years. In the letter, the CSA chairman Dominique Baudis calls for the creation of a working group to consider how the remaining population can gain access to digital TV, by various means (extension of DTT transmission sites, increasing transmission power, use of satellite, cable and xDSL). This working group would contain representatives of the CSA and of the government Media Development Directorate.
Meanwhile, the public sector DTT channels are all being carried on the Atlantic Bird 3 satellite, which can be received throughout the country (and beyond).
Source: Advanced-television.com
From Sotires Eleftheriou in Paris

DVB-H gets everyone's attention
Not only have Groupe Canal +, SFR and Nokia announced a joint DVB-H trial to 500 users but TPS  also announced separately that it will  be experimenting with DVB-H.
The Groupe Canal trial will not only seek to define technical parameters for broadcast and reception, but will also serve as a test of consumer interest.
The TPS trial includes France Telecom, Orange and Bouygues and will have around 200 mobile subscribers.
A commercial launch nationwide is not expected before 2006 or 2007.
The test will start in June subject to the approval of CSA.
Both groups still have to obtain licenses for the trials.
Source: Original info. from Advanced-Television.com