05. 02. 2013

DIGITALIZATION – NEVER ENDING STORY

Belgrade, February 5, 2013 (Danas) - It is still unknown when the process of digitalization in Serbia will be concluded. In fact, the only thing that is known is the final deadline for switch off of analog signal in Europe - 2015. However, our relevant ministry is reluctant to give any estimations as to the possible conclusion of the process.

The story about digitalization in Serbia has come down to a state of chaos. The first deadline the Serbia had set for the process to be concluded was April 2012. Despite the fact the expert public had warned it was unlikely to finish the process by that time, the former government remained firm in the their claims that it would be done "within the deadline".

Very soon, instead of analogue signal to be switched off simultaneously in entire Serbia, the phases were introduced to the picture. No one dared to give any deadlines anymore, but the then state secretary Jasna Matic was mentioning the end of the first phase during 2012, and the entire process by 2013. Afterwards, this phase was also pushed to the beginning of the current year. And then there were elections.

The new state secretary for telecommunications Stefan Lazarevic "thinks" that the first phase of the switching off of analogue signal will begin in the next year, without specifying any particular deadline at that. Judging by his statements, the process of digitalization in our country was long obstructed, but now new working bodies have been established and new documents adopted.

If we do not digitalize our signal by June 2015, with all countries in our region already having transited to digital signal, we will cause a comotion in the broadcasting system. Serbia would probably have to suffer consequences by coping fines from the European competent bodies. The citizens, at least the ones having cable TV, will not have to worry about losing their TV signal, as they are not affected by the digitalization. However, around 1.5 million households that receive signal via antennae will have to by set-top boxes or special TV sets for getting the digital picture on their TV screens. The only advantage in belated digitalization is in the fact that the price for these sets is going down with each day.