Azerbaijan will launch DVB-T standard digital transmission in late 2008

According to him, two transmission packages composing of four TV programs each will be offered in Baku and Ganja.

AzTV (state-owned broadcaster) and ITV (Public TV) and private broadcasters like ATV, ANS and Lider TV have taken interest in inclusion in the packages.

He added that set-top boxes (STB) should be imported to the country, the broadcasters should be specified and population should be prepared for digital transmission.

DTV has several advantages over traditional, analog TV, the most significant being that digital channels take up less bandwidth (and the bandwidth needs are continuously variable, at a corresponding cost in image quality depending on the level of compression).

This means that digital broadcasters can provide more digital channels in the same space, provide High-definition television service, or provide other non-television services such as multimedia or interactivity.

DTV also permits special services such as multiplexing (more than one program on the same channel), electronic program guides and additional languages, spoken or subtitled. In many cases, viewers perceive DTV to have superior picture quality, improved audio quality, and easier reception than analog.

If everything goes right, it is scheduled to complete transition from analog transmission to digital transmission in 2015 as planned before.
Azerbaijan has started to test DVB-T standard digital transmission in Baku since 2004.

The transition process will have three overlapping phases (2007-10, 2011-13, 2014-15).

At the first phase, digital broadcasts will be available to 60% to 70% of population through two transmission package composing of four programs each in Baku, Ganja and Nakhchivan and a package for the country. At the second phase, one more package will be added to expand digital transmission in Baku, Ganja and Nakhchivan. In digital broadcasts will be available to 90 of population in 2011-13.

3 packages will be in use throughout the country.

The third phase will improve digital transmission in the territories receiving weak telecasts and additional transmitters will be installed, 98% will have access to digital broadcasts.

/APA/