25-09-2013

Bulgarian Commissioner Fears Loss of Coverage with End of Analogue TV

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    SOFIA: As many as 350,000 to 1 m Bulgarians are unprepared for the end of the analogue TV signal, now scheduled to happen on 30 September 2013.

    The number represents estimates of the number of residents who receive TV only via a terrestrial signal. Bulgaria has a population of 7.3 m and around 3 m TV households.

    According to Bulgaria’s Standart News, Communications Regulation Commission (CRC) chairman Veselin Bozhkov has asked operators of multiplexes to publish maps and information indicating where digital signals will be available and where there will be no digital signal. Coverage is estimated to be only 85 per cent at present. Bozhkov is not in favour of delaying the date of the end of analogue despite the anticipated lack of coverage for many Bulgarians. Standart quoted Bozhkov stating: "Therefore I appeal also to the Bulgarian government and to legislative bodies, because this has to be decided.''