DVB-T2 - Market Adoption

Market Adoption

When the digital terrestrial HDTV service Freeview HD was launched in December 2009, it was the first DVB-T2 service intended for the general public. As of November 2010, DVB-T2 broadcasts were available in a couple of European countries.

The earliest introductions of T2 have usually been tied with a launch of high-definition television. There are however some countries where HDTV is broadcast using the old DVB-T standard with no immediate plans to switch those broadcasts to DVB-T2. Among countries using DVB-T for nationwide broadcasts of HDTV are France, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Denmark and Spain, though usually with MPEG4. Only Australia is using the earlier DVB-T with MPEG2 for HD.

Countries where DVB-T2 is in use include:

• United Kingdom: one multiplex, soft launch in December 2009, full launch in April 2010
• Italy: one multiplex, soft launch in October 2010
• Sweden: two multiplexes, full launch in November 2010
• Finland: five multiplexes, soft launch in January 2011, full launch in February 2011
• Estonia: one multiplex, soft launch in December 2012 (not all transmitters)
• Ukraine: four DVB-T2 multiplexes × 167 transmission sites, 150 of which have been officially launched on October 10, 2011
• Russia: one multiplex, full launch in March 2012
• Denmark: one multiplex, with TV2 Danmark in HD will launch April 2012
• Colombia: Adoption starts on 2012
• Israel: Expected to begin in 2013.
• Serbia: two multiplexes, soft launch in March 2012, full launch in April 2013
• Kenya: Multichoice Africa using the GOTV brand launched in September 2011
• Vietnam: three multiplexes, launched in November 11, 2011 by the Audio Visual Global JSC.
• Belgium: Expected to begin in March 2013
• Albania: One multiplex full launch in july 2011
• Turkey: Experimental three multiplex. Full launch in 2013. Analog broadcasting will be abolished in 2015.
• Pan-Arab States: Adoption on 4 January 2013.
• Thailand: Expected to begin in 2013.

The Southern African Development Community announced in November 2010 that DVB-T2 would be the preferred standard for the region. In Serbia, both SD and HD broadcasts will air in DVB-T2.

The Media Development Authority of Singapore announced in June 2012 that the country's free-to-air TV channels will go fully digital by the end of 2013 using DVB-T2.

It has been trialled in Spain and Germany. Sri Lanka and Austria is also expected to use it.

Currently Malaysia, which has yet to officially launch its DVB-T transmission, is running tests on DVB-T2. Whether the system will be adopted only for HD channels or will replace its existing trial DVB-T system, if adopted at all, remains unannounced.