Ukraine delays ASO again

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The Ukrainian government has put back the to digital broadcasting by a full year to June 30, 2017.

According to Pravda, the country’s PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk said this is the second postponement and asked for an explanation.

Both the head of the State Service of Special Communication and Information (DSTSZI) and Minister of Information identified the fact that frequencies are owned by Zeonbud, a company controlled by the family of the former president Viktor Yanukovych, and that this could pose a threat to national security.

They added that the matter is now being looked into by a working group that includes representatives of the regulator, National Council, DSTSZI and market players.

Russia casts doubts on ASO

Russia is against fixing a date for the switch off of analogue TV services.

Quoted by 1prime.ru andAKTR, Alexei Volin, the country’s deputy minister of communications, said that if it were to have one it could lead to disruption for regional broadcasters.

The current plan sees Russia completing ASO by 2015. Volin said that a lot of progress has been made in the introduction of the first and second DTT multiplexes.

DTT signals should be available to 80% of the population this year, rising to 97.5% in 2015.

Even if all analogue TV signals were switched off in 2018, the move would still have an impact on 500 regional TV stations.

Bulgaria set for ASO

Bulgaria will complete its transition to digital broadcasting today (Monday, September 30,2013).

According to Novinite, only 75,000 of 210,000 people entitled to receive digital decoders have so far obtained them.

Furthermore, although digital coverage should be 95% of territory of Bulgaria at switch off, between 350,000 and one million people living in the countryside could still be left without access to public TV services.

The regulator CRC is aware of these difficulties and has said that rather than delaying switch off any further they will be ironed out later.

Bulgaria still remains embroiled in a dispute with the European Commission over the controversial award of multiplex licences.

Bulgaria delays ASO

Bulgaria has put back its analogue switch off date by another two months.

As a result, it will now take place on November 1, rather than the beginning of this month, as previously planned.

According to Novinite, this comes against the backdrop of the still unresolved dispute between the country and European Union over controversial DTT multiplex licence awards.

Proceedings against Bulgaria were to all intents and purposes launched by the Union last month and the country still does not have an official position on the matter.

The licence awards for six multiplexes were originally made to Hannu Pro and Towercom, with a further one being granted to Bulsatcom in May this year.

Serbian ASO moves closer

Serbia now expects to complete the transition to digital broadcaster by mid-2014, or almost one year earlier than previously planned.

Speaking in a statement to RTV Pink and quoted by Balkans.com, Rasim Ljajic, the country’s deputy PM and minister of foreign and internal trade and telecommunications, said that a meeting held today (August 16) established the dynamics of digitisation.

This now envisaged that 60% of Serbia would be served by digital signals by October 1 and a further 20% by the end of the year.

Ljajic spoke of the many benefits that digitisation would bring to the population.

The most obvious one was a greater choice of programming in a market where over half (53%) of households still had access to only 2-3 channels.