European DTT switch-off targets in doubt

All of the major territories in Western Europe will have launched a DTT service by end-2010, but there are concerns the various switchover timetables in place will not be met.

Informa Telecoms & Media, in its latest Western European TV report, notes that despite services being launched throughout the region “a few doubts remain about whether government (and European) analog terrestrial switch-off targets will be achieved.”

Informa adds that, switch-off dates aside, digital terrestrial TV has been a big success in the region. It forecasts that 37% of TV homes in Western Europe will receive their primary TV signal through DTT by end-2015. Within that total 13.2 million, or 7%, are expected to be pay DTT homes.