The Czech Republic will need transition multiplexes if it is meet its target of switching to DVB-T2 by 2020, according to Marcel Prochazka, director of regulation, Ceske Radiokomunikace (CRa).
In a wide-ranging presentation at the CAEK conference in Prague, he added that the migration to DVB-T2 presents a major threat to the entire TV segment in its current form and there has to be a transitory period for viewers to buy the necessary reception equipment.
Prochazka revealed that terrestrial broadcasting lost 18% of its spectrum when the Czech Republic switched from analogue to digital broadcasting. Mobile operators now use that part of the spectrum for 4G services.
It now faces the prospect of losing a further 30%, with the final decision resting with the EC.
Significantly up to 80% of Czech terrestrial TV viewers would be affected were this to happen, with channels disappearing from both the second and third multiplexes.
Prochazka also said that at present all the main multiplexes in the Czech Republic are full. They carry a total of 21 channels, none of which are in HD, despite 55% of the country’s TV homes having HD sets.
Meanwhile the regional multiplex (8) reaches 57.1% of the population and is being expanded.
