OREANDA-NEWS. January 20, 2015. The National Press Center of the Republic of Belarus hosted a press conference on the development of digital television in the Republic of Belarus.

The representatives of the Ministry of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Information of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Belarus and RUE Belarusian Broadcasting Center took part in the conference. Vadim Vladimirovich Shaybakov, Deputy Director General for Technical Issues of RUE Beltelecom, provided the reporters with detailed information about the activities of the company in this regard and answered the questions of media personnel.

In accordance with the Geneva Convention 2006, the transition to digital TV in the Republic of Belarus is to be fully completed in 2015, which leads to the shutdown of analog TV.

The transition to digital television broadcasting means following the worldwide trend, determined by the rulings of the International Telecommunication Union. International agreement "Geneva 2006" defined a standard for digital broadcasting (DVB) and the construction period of digital television broadcasting (DTB) networks for Europe and the Russian Federation. In accordance with the plan, the completion of DTB network construction in Belarus is to be finished in 2015.

Analog television is to be completely disabled in Belarus until May 15, 2015. By this time, all analog decimeter-wave TV transmitters will have been disabled at all transmitting stations of the country. The analogue signal broadcasting is to be disabled at the main transmitting station of the country in Kolodishchi on May, 15.

The development of DVB-T digital television broadcasting standard in the Republic of Belarus is carried out within the framework of the “State program of introducing digital television and radio broadcasting in the Republic of Belarus till 2015”, approved by the resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus of December 08, 2005 № 1406. The State program is aimed at improving the quality of TV programs broadcasting service, more effective use of radio frequency resource, energy efficiency, access of the citizens of the country to State compulsory publicly available package of digital television programs, the development of new types of television receiving and transmitting equipment.

Within the framework of the “State program of introducing digital television broadcasting in the Republic of Belarus till 2015" a network of digital multiple program transport streams  and  synchronization reference delivery to digital transmitters has been constructed  using multiplex equipment  on IO activity of  digital multiple program transport streams. Today, the network delivers multiple program transport stream to all operating 78 radio and television transmitting stations (RTTS) and provides:

- guaranteed quality of TV broadcasts;
- proper functioning of a channel on all its extent;
- 100% reservation of a channel in case of emergency on the communication networks;
- organization of transfer through  high-speed fiber-optic communication lines.

 As of January 1, 2015 the population coverage by DVB-T digital TV broadcasting standard of the first layer of the national coverage is already 98.1%.

The Republic of Belarus was one of the first countries where terrestrial digital television broadcasting with the usage of the standard DVB-T2 was implemented. The project, which was launched in October 2013, gains popularity. Today, one of the major tasks of RUE Beltelecom is active network expanding.

In 2015 our company expects to expand the commercial terrestrial television coverage of the territory up to 80-90%. In 2013 25 digital transmitters were installed, in 2014 its number has increased up to 95. 70 digital transmitters are to be installed in 2015.

During the implementation of the project on terrestrial commercial television the most up-to-date standard DVB-T2 is used. In case of using the same radio frequency resource, the usage of this standard gives an opportunity to enhance the quality of the channels transmitted. Terrestrial commercial television broadcasting covers more than 40% of the territory of Belarus. As of 01.01.2015 more than 46 thousand subscribers use this service.

The service has grate potential for development. Today, it is highly demanded not only by the population of regional centers, agricultural settlements, villages, but also by the population of the large cities of the Republic of Belarus, where this service competes with cable operators.

The advantages of current terrestrial television are obvious for viewers: high quality of the ‘picture’, interference resilience, increasing in number of channels which can be viewed even in those regions, where only several belarusian channels were transmitted or its viewing was difficult. Terrestrial ZALA is a good solution for different categories of subscribers. Digital quality, 26 channels in the basic package (18 commercial + 8 television channels transmitted in the open format), as well as additional terrestrial packages. The total number of channels including thematic packages can reach 44 and will increase in the future.

The advantages of the conducting the contract with RUE Beltelecom – a subscriber is provided with the equipment free of charge for the entire validity of the contract. Having concluded the contract on the provision of the pachage Standard TV, a subscriber pays only for connection to the package – 36 000 BYR (onetime payment) and monthly subscription fee in the amount of 34 050 BYR. The thematic packages Poznovatelno-razvlekatelniy, Detskiy, Filmoviy and Dlia Dyshi are available for subscribers from different regions; the cost of its viewing is paid separately.

In case of insufficient technical capabilities to provide the service in full, during the conducting of the contract Beltelecom gives an opportunity to its subscribers to connect to the social package, which includes eight channels for free till the moment, when the service can be provided in full (a subscriber makes only onetime payment on its personal account).

As of 01.01.2015 the translation of TV programs is carried out by 52 automated radio-television transmitting stations: Berezino, Krupki, Ushachi, Begoml, Tehtin, Kolodishchi, Yaroshevka, Cherven, Zhlobin, Bobrujsk, Krichev, Kostukovichi, Sinkevichi, Vitebsk, Liozno, Gomel, Soltanovo, Bragin, Sloboda, Rakitnitsa, Kuplin (Pruzhany), Pleshchenizy, Borisov, Geraneny, Polykovichi (Mogilev), Pinsk, Myto, Baranovichi, Smetanichi, Svisloch, Slonim, Koshelevo, Mosty, Ostrino, Lyki, Drogichin, Bereza, Grodno, Osipovichi, Slavgorod – 2 multicomplexes; Stolbtsy, Kopyl, Osveia, Braslav, Sharkovshchina, Mtislavl, Orsha, Volosovichi, Mozyr, Soligorsk, Sleduki, Zaprudie. Every day the coverage zone of the ground television transmitting stations is becoming wider, terrestrial digital television becomes available both for townsmen and countrymen.

13 radio-television transmitting stations are to be put into operation in 2015.