[opendtv] BBC and Arqiva announce agreement to enable roll-out of terrestrial HD network

From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:10:25 -0500
It's really impressive how quickly the Brits were able to make this happen. I 
thought this would take years and years. Well done!

Bert

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http://www.dtg.org.uk/news/news.php?class=countries&subclass=0&id=3558

BBC and Arqiva announce agreement to enable roll-out of terrestrial HD network

The BBC and Arqiva have announced that the agreement to upgrade the relevant 
parts of the UK digital terrestrial television (DTT) transmission network to 
DVB-T2 has been confirmed.

The new DVB-T2 technology will deliver an increase in capacity of 67% to the 
BBC's Multiplex B, efficiently creating the space needed for UK public service 
broadcasters' HD transmissions.

The BBC and Arqiva will be the first organisations in the world to deploy the 
DVB-T2 technology into full operational service across an entire transmission 
network.

The upgrade programme, which runs alongside the BBC's main digital television 
transmission agreement, will start by launching Freeview HD services in the 
North West of England from December this year.

From then on, the new technology will roll-out with digital switchover at each 
transmitter, with most areas which have switched over already being upgraded 
before the end of 2010.

In addition, the BBC has made arrangements with Arqiva to build a small network 
of five additional transmitters which will bring HD services to certain key 
metropolitan areas ahead of their planned switchover dates.

London will benefit from the end of 2009, with transmitters for Glasgow, 
Newcastle, Birmingham and Leeds/Bradford due to be on-air during spring 2010.

Speaking about these developments, Alix Pryde, Controller of BBC Distribution, 
said: "The BBC's agreements with Arqiva to build the High Definition 
infrastructure for DTT represent an important step forward that sets us on 
course for a successful launch in December this year. We look forward to 
confirming later this autumn our plans with Freeview for the consumer launch of 
HD services."

Matthew Postgate, Controller Research & Development BBC, said: "The BBC has a 
long and distinguished history in developing technologies for the benefit of 
the wider media industry and consumer, and the work of our R&D team is as 
important in the digital age as it ever has been. The pioneering work of the 
team in creating the standard, in partnership with DVB, has been instrumental 
in bringing HD to terrestrial TV and will allow Freeview to build on its 
phenomenal success."

Steve Holebrook, managing director of terrestrial broadcast for Arqiva, the 
transmission company who will build the network, said: "This is a fantastic 
development for Freeview and we're delighted to be working with the BBC to 
bring this new technology to market as quickly as possible. Once again, we in 
the UK are leading the world in television technology and this should stimulate 
the DVB-T2 market throughout Europe."

DTG Staff 16.10.2009
 
 
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[opendtv] BBC and Arqiva announce agreement to enable roll-out of terrestrial HD network

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