A sixth DTT multiplex will shortly go live in the Swedish capital Stockholm and the areas surrounding Uppsala and Västeräs.
The multiplex was initiated to carry the international service of the Finnish public broadcaster YLE and is scheduled to go on air in mid- March. Under a 40-year old agreement YLE is distributed in Sweden and in return SVT Europa is available terrestrially in Finland. However, when Sweden began its digital transition in August it was found there was no room for the Finnish broadcasts.
About 25% of the Swedish popuation will be served by the new channel amid a debate within government between the culture and commerce ministries as to what to do with the remainder of the multiplex. With the ministry of culture favouring high definition or mobile TV and the commerce ministry looking towards fixed mobile networks such as Wimax.
In a scenario replicating issues being acted out across Europe there is pressure to include HD on the terrestrial network to shore up its position against cable and satellite services that are already carrying SVT’s high definition channel.
