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July 02, 2010
Arqiva has acclerated the roll-out of DVB-T2 transmitters in the UK hitting its target of 50% population coverage by the start of the 2010 World Cup, having deployed at 26 sites around the country. DVB-T2 is being used to transmit the HD content on Multiplex B. DVB-T2 upgrades are being incorporated into the wider DSO (Digital Switch Over) schedule at each site with 5 sites having been upgraded in advance to make up the short fall in meeting its 50% coverage target for the 2010 World Cup. Sites which have already undergone digital switch over prior to the introduction of DVB-T2 will be retrofitted with DVB-T2 equipment.
In comparison, DVB-T which is being used to transmit the other 5 multiplexes on the DTT platform has seen half of the network's sites switched to all digital braodcasting in June 2010; approximately 550 sites covering 25% of the population.
Arqiva are currently mulling over further benefits of DVB-T2 beyond HD and are currently trialling 3D on the platform.
Arqiva's initiative has seen a rapid roll-out of DVB-T2 throughout the UK, consumers will be equally quick in adopting DVB-T2 with Screen Digest forecasting 3 million households to have bought DVB-T2 receivers by the end of 2010. This will be mainly due to the inclusion of the DVBT-2 Freeview HD tuner in 33% of television sets sold in the UK in 2010.
DVB-T2 in the UK is synonomous with HD broadcasting over the DTT network with the standard being introduced to create bandwidth savings making HD a viable propisition. DVB-T2 with MPEG-4 allows capacity per multiplex to increase by up to 67% translating to the standard supporting 5 HD services on multiplex B.
Beyond HD these bandwidth savings can open further opportunities for the Freeview television offering on DTT, a platform traditionally constricted of bandwidth in the UK. Arqiva's trialling of 3D transmissions is part of their drive to make DTT competitive in the face of DTH, cable and IPTV. Although the trials are yet to go beyond closed user groups the likely focus will be on the least bandwidth intensive transmissoin methods.
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