The Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has signed a federal programme paving the way for the country’s transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.
According to reports in Kommersant and Lenta, the process, which is due to be completed by 2015, will cost R122.4 billion (€2.79 billion). The state will contribute R76.4 billion towards the total, with the remainder sourced from budgetary funds.
Some R60 billion will be allocated towards the construction of a digital terrestrial network and R26 billion towards satellites.
Russia plans to have three DTT multiplexes and has already decided on the channels that will be carried by the first.
Simulcasting will take place until 95% of the population can receive DTT signals.