German DTT to reach 80% by year end

This year about eight million viewers will be added to the German DTT system, bringing the total potential audience to 64 million, according to T-Systems, the company responsible for the building of the network. German public broadcasters ARD and ZDF plan to further extend their reach during 2008 to cover the whole population.

During 2007, the next phases will include a June 12 launch in the Münster area in the state of Nordrhine-Westfalia and the city of Aachen in November. In the southern parts of Baden-Württemberg DTT will be launched on July 10, followed on July 23 by the cities of Dresden, Chemnitz and Gera in Central Germany. This year further roll-outs are planned in Saxony-Anhalt, Rhineland-Palatina, Lower Saxony and Saarland.