Azerbaijan’s Teleradio Director Aflatun Sharifov told APA-Economics that new equipment and transmitters will be installed in Baku and Gandja to support digital transmission. 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.
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. Digital broadcasts will be available to 90% of the population in 2011-13.
The third phase will improve digital transmission in the territories receiving weak telecasts and additional transmitters will be installed. 98% will then have access to digital broadcasts.
(Source: APA via Today.Az)
