Cuba moves forward in transition to digital television

HAVANA, Cuba, Jul 16 (ACN) Cuba plans to produce this year more than 300, 000 decoder boxes, also called Set-Top Box, which will contribute to the transition from analog to digital television in the country, a process scheduled to be completed by 2024.

By the end of 2021, the western provinces - from Pinar del Rio to Matanzas - are expected to complete the first stage of partial transition to digital terrestrial television (DTT), a process that will include the analog signal output of the Educational and Educational 2 channels in those territories.

The program for the deployment of DTT was conceived to be carried out in ten years, from 2013 to 2023, but due to financial difficulties and limitations in the purchasing capacity and liquidity that Cuba has had to acquire the receiving equipment, it was necessary to redesign it, Ana Julia Marine, vice minister of communications, told Granma newspaper.

With the modifications, the program is extended until 2024, when it is expected to proceed to the so-called analogical blackout; the transition from analogical to digital television will be carried out by geographic regions, and not by territories, and it is included the broadcasting of more than one channel, she explained.

It starts this year with the western provinces, then, in 2022, it would cover from Villa Clara to Camagüey, and by 2023 it would be the transition in the east of the country, Marine added.

The transition not only represents modernity and signal quality, but also solves the technological aging of equipment, ensures greater energy efficiency and, by shutting down analog systems, frees up frequencies that favor greater access to 4G, specialists explained.

As part of the deployment of this program, which has already had a first experience in the special municipality of Isle of Youth and in five municipalities of Sancti Spiritus(central Cuba), it will be guaranteed that 100 percent of the schools -about 19,300- will have coverage, so that students do not stop receiving teleclasses.