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Serbia to switch to digital broadcasting before 2012
Belgrade,
22 May 2009
Minister for Telecommunications and Information Society Jasna Matic today stated that the Ministry proposed that Serbia switches to digital radio and television broadcasting by April 4, 2012.
Jasna Matic and Irini Reljin
Matic told a press conference that the International Telecommunications Union proposed 2015 as the deadline for switching to digital broadcasting, but Serbia decided it could be carried out by 2012 so that it can be synchronised with the EU and neighbouring countries.
The Minister noted that the state will set aside €15–40 million to compensate for the cost of procuring the set up boxes to citizens, adding that deadlines and costs were envisaged in the Draft Digital Radio and Television Programme Strategy which is open for debate until June 12.
She said that the round table discussions on the strategy will be organised in Belgrade, Novi Sad and Nis, adding that the draft can be viewed at the Ministry’s web site.
Matic said that the costs will depend on whether the state will reimburse the procurement of set up boxes to all citizens, which would amount to €40 million, or only to the socially endangered categories, which would require €15 million.
The Minister stressed that compensation will be payable only to those who pay a television fee to the Radio Television of Serbia (RTS), because according to Serbian law all TV set owners must pay an obligatory television fee.
The other possibility for receiving the digital signal would be purchasing a new TV set, said Matic, adding that the Ministry for Telecommunication has decided to implement digitalization according to the latest technical standards MPEG 4 and DVBT 2.
She explained that these standards make it possible to achieve a high level of compression allowing the transmission of a larger number of channels.
Assistant Minister Irini Reljin said that set up boxes cost from €60 to €70, adding that she hopes that by 2011, when they will be purchased in Serbia, the price will fall to €50.
She explained that for now the Serbian market does not offer TV sets which fulfill the digitalization standards which will be implemented in the country and that shops will be obliged to inform buyers which TV sets it will be possible to use.
Reljin said that broadcasting companies will be able to rent equipment from RTS, adding that it is expected that the Serbian government will make a decision on this matter by the end of June.
The Minister noted that the state will set aside €15–40 million to compensate for the cost of procuring the set up boxes to citizens, adding that deadlines and costs were envisaged in the Draft Digital Radio and Television Programme Strategy which is open for debate until June 12.
She said that the round table discussions on the strategy will be organised in Belgrade, Novi Sad and Nis, adding that the draft can be viewed at the Ministry’s web site.
Matic said that the costs will depend on whether the state will reimburse the procurement of set up boxes to all citizens, which would amount to €40 million, or only to the socially endangered categories, which would require €15 million.
The Minister stressed that compensation will be payable only to those who pay a television fee to the Radio Television of Serbia (RTS), because according to Serbian law all TV set owners must pay an obligatory television fee.
The other possibility for receiving the digital signal would be purchasing a new TV set, said Matic, adding that the Ministry for Telecommunication has decided to implement digitalization according to the latest technical standards MPEG 4 and DVBT 2.
She explained that these standards make it possible to achieve a high level of compression allowing the transmission of a larger number of channels.
Assistant Minister Irini Reljin said that set up boxes cost from €60 to €70, adding that she hopes that by 2011, when they will be purchased in Serbia, the price will fall to €50.
She explained that for now the Serbian market does not offer TV sets which fulfill the digitalization standards which will be implemented in the country and that shops will be obliged to inform buyers which TV sets it will be possible to use.
Reljin said that broadcasting companies will be able to rent equipment from RTS, adding that it is expected that the Serbian government will make a decision on this matter by the end of June.
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