Mexico. The Comisión Federal de Telecomunicaciones de México, Cofetel, approved the work plan to achieve the analog blackout of television in that country on December 31, 2015.
The modifications to the policy of transition to digital terrestrial television include a detailed plan of blackouts staggered by cities. The first will be in Tijuana, where a pilot test will be carried out, seeking the end of analog transmissions in April 2013.
In the cities of Mexicali, Cd. Juárez, Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa, Matamoros and Monterrey, the date to finalize the transition to digital television is November 2013, while in Mexico City, Guadalajara and the center of the country it will be on the same day but in 2014. In 2015 it will be in the rest of the cities of the country.
He also pointed out that a series of pilot programs should be created that will help with the testing of DTT implementation for a successful transition.
As for the channels, the entity established measures to favor the release of channels 52 to 69 that correspond to the 700 MHz band, the most valuable band of the spectrum for telecommunications services, and will promote the progressive reorganization of television channels below channel 37, to favor the efficient use of spectrum.
Cofetel indicated that the conclusion of analog transmissions will be subject to 90% of the population having a television or digital set-top box. If this is not achieved, the entity may reschedule the date of the blackout.
