The Czech national transmission company and multiplex operator Ceske Radiokomunikace (CRa) has provided insights into its strategy as the country moves to ASO later this later.
In a wide-ranging interview with Digizone, its executive director Kamil Levinsky said he expects the third multiplex, which the company took over when it acquired the Czech Digital Group (CDG) in late 2010, is likely to be carrying seven to eight TV channels in four to five years.
He also said that he believes there is no future for HD channels being distributed by DVB-T. Instead, the CRa is currently undertaking a non-commercial DVB-T2 trial, employing the Prague Zizkov transmitter, to distribute four channels – CT HD, Nova HD, Prima HD and Barrandov HD – in the format.
Its intention is to offer these channels on the country’s first and second multiplexes.
Should DVB-T2 be adopted in the Czech Republic – and depending on the allocation of frequencies by the Czech Transmission Office (CTO) – there could be the possibility of most viewers in the country being able to watch the London Olympics next year in HD.
CRa is backed by the Australian investment company Macquarie, which also has an interest in the UK transmission company Arqiva.