Colombia. The National Television Authority extended until March 8 the consultation for the modification of the cessation of analog TV, which was scheduled for December 31, 2019.
According to the document exposed by the ANTV, "carrying out the cessation of analog broadcasts on December 31, 2019, represents a risk for the continuity in the provision of the service, which is why this Authority has initiated the processing of a regulatory project with a view to defining a new date of cessation of analog broadcasts."
In part, this decision is related to the level of knowledge of the service, evolution in the acquisition of DTT televisions and set-top boxes, DTT coverage, households with knowledge of the cessation of emission of the analog signal.
In addition, the document points out that during the last three years the resources for the adoption of digital TV by RTVC have suffered cuts by the Ministry of Finance that have affected the execution of the project. For 2018, 70% of the requested resources were approved and for 2019 only 60% were approved.
The document highlights that "Starting from the resources authorized in 2018 and those authorized for 2019, and if this is the trend in the following years, reaching an approximate population coverage of 97%, as proposed by RTVC in DTT, may take between 5 and 6 years, that is, the installation would be completed in 2023 and therefore the cessation of emission of the analogous signal contemplated in the Agreement 002 of 2012 for 2019 could not be realized."
Although a new date has not yet been proposed, the ANTV hopes that after this process of consultation with public and private operators, institutions and national or local public or private entities and service users, it can count on the necessary elements to define a new date that guarantees the correct transition from analogue to digital TV.
For the full consultation document, click here.
