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Digital switchover

European consumers can look forward to a new era of television with better sound and picture quality, more channels and interactive services as Member States switch from analogue to digital broadcasting. The switchover will also free up radio spectrum for new communications services and stimulate the consumer equipment market.

The Commission expects that by the beginning of 2010 the switchover to digital broadcasting should be well advanced in the EU as a whole and it has proposed a deadline of 2012 for completing the transition. By then all Member States should be providing digital broadcast services, giving consumers access to more television and radio channels of higher picture and sound quality as well as interactive services through their television sets.

The need for new equipment to receive and decode digital signals should also stimulate growth in the European consumer equipment market. To ensure consumers obtain the full benefits of the switchover, the Commission is supporting the use of open standards and sector-wide cooperation on ensuring interoperability, as well as the exchange of best practice between Member States and stakeholders. The Framework Directive encourages the interoperability of digital interactive television services and enhanced digital television equipment in order to ensure the free flow of information, media pluralism and cultural diversity.

Freeing up radio spectrum

A major benefit of the switchover will be the freeing up of radio spectrum thanks to the switching off of less efficient analogue services. The switchover therefore represents a unique opportunity for the re-use of a premium part of the radio frequency spectrum for the provision of new convergent services, combining mobile telephony and terrestrial broadcasting and for other cross border and pan-European electronic communications services.

For that purpose, the Commission is urging Member States to be flexible in drawing up new radio spectrum usage plans in order to make sure bandwidth is available for new communications services in a way that provides the most value to society and to the economy. All potential applications for the use of frequencies should be considered, and any allocation and assignment procedures must ensure fair access for all potential users.

Each Member State has submitted their own national switchover plan.

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