Azerbaijan eyes digital switchover

The number of digital-terrestrial television channels in Azerbaijan is expected to reach 24 by the end of the year as the country eyes a digital switchover by 2013.

The country’s Production Association, which is overseeing the move to digital broadcasting in association with the National Council for Television and Radio, says that 50% of the country will be covered by digital broadcasting standards by the end of 2010 and the number of channels in the Baku and Absheron regions will reach 24 ahead of the International Telecommunications Exhibition at the end of November. The National Council for Television and Radio is also eyeing the launch of a pay DTT service that could include channels such as AzTV and LiderTV as well as the Turkish and Russian language channels operated by Teleradio.