The transition to digital broadcasting in Serbia, though completed only six months ago, has already made the country over €100 million.
Quoted by Danas, Brako Gogic, the director of the transmission company ETV, said that the total cost of digitisation had been around €40 million, of which €10 million was provided by an EU grant. Earnings had amounted to €126 million, while the net profit was some €100 million.
Gogoc added that Serbia sold part of the 1,800 MHz spectrum last year for €21 million and the digital dividend last month for €105 million.
In hindsight, the transition to digital terrestrial broadcasting has been “an absolute success” that Serbia could be proud of. Few, for instance, believed that the digital dividend could be sold so quickly.
Digitisation had also allowed TV signals to reach parts of Serbia that had previously not been able to receive any.
Gogoc also pointed out that several countries in the region, including Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Romania, were still far from completed their transition to digital broadcasting.