Cyprus to switch fully to digital TV by 2012

The latest by 2010 Cyprus will be offering digital terrestrial TV transmissions, while by 2012 the full transition from analogue to digital TV will be concluded.

According to a press release by the European Commission, digital terrestrial TV transmissions have already been introduced in 21 Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Slovenia, United Kingdom) and cover parts of the national territory.

Five more Member States (Cyprus, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, and Slovakia) have announced that digital services will be provided by 2010 at the latest. Romania has not yet outlined its plans.

Analogue terrestrial TV switch-off has already taken place in Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Belgium (Flanders) and in major areas in Austria.

It will take place by the end of 2010 or earlier in all of Austria, Estonia, Denmark, Spain, Malta and Slovenia.

Analogue terrestrial TV will be switched off between the end of 2010 and the end of 2012 in Belgium (Wallonia and Brussels capital region), Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, France, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the United Kingdom. In Poland, the final switch-off date is 2015 at the latest.

Digital broadcasting provides improved picture quality, better sound, better mobile reception, more TV and radio channels as well as enhanced information services (such as on screen programme guides).