France introduced its new TV law on February 22nd, mandating consumer electronics manufacturers to roll-out MPEG-4 HD compatible televisions. Following the lead of the US market, France has imposed obligations on the consumer electronics industry (TV manufacturers and retailers) so that consumer equipment matches the broadcasting roadmap for digital terrestrial television. From March 2008 on, built-in DTT tuners will become mandatory for all television sets sold in France. Then from December 2008, televisions will also need to be MPEG-4 HD compatible.
As for the general planning of analogue switch-off, the law confirms that switch-off will start on 31 March 2008 and will be completed no later than 30 November 2011. Independent regulator, the CSA, will establish the schedule of a zone-by-zone analogue switch-off . Commercial analogue broadcasters (TF1, M6) and digital terrestrial broadcasters are encouraged to voluntarily extend their reach on DTT (up to 95 per cent of the population) and to join a free-to-air DTH platform that will replicate the free-to-air DTT offering, before the analogue switch-off is completed.
Our take...
TV Manufacturers have welcomed the digitisation roadmap, which gives visibility and certainty to all market players. They are happy to play an active role in phasing out analogue-only sets. Their trade body SIMAVELEC (whose members include Sony, Thomson and Philips) noted that in 2006, 40 per cent of all TV sets sold in France were equipped with built-in DTT tuners. Manufacturers anticipate that 100 per cent of television on the shelves will feature DTT tuners in advance of the 2008 deadline. As manufacturers do not plan to put digital tuners in CRT televisions, it will create an additional incentive for consumers to switch to 'digital' flat HD televisions. The trade body SIMAVELEC expects 4.2m flat panel displays to be sold in 2007, of which 3.2m will already be 'digital'.
The new law also anticipates France's conversion from SD to HD and from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4. In contrast to the UK--where there is ongoing bitter controversy on how to accommodate HDTV on Freeview after switch-off--free-to-air MPEG-4 HD channels will be launched in France before analogue switch-off (DTT multiplex R5). To make sure future television sets are able to decode and display the signal, built-in DTT 'tuners' must be MPEG-4 HD compatible by December 1, 2008. TV manufacturers also welcome the principle of this decision for market clarity but argue that the date is too early because MPEG-4 HD chipsets will still be too expensive by then.
