CITEL includes DVB standards in DTT Implementation Guidelines for the Americas

GENEVA — The DVB Project is pleased to note that the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL), a body of the Organization of American States (OAS), has decided to include the standards for digital terrestrial television DVB-T (fixed reception) and DVB-H (mobile TV) as official standards within the CITEL implementation guidelines.

The CITEL ‘Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting Implementation Guide’ is intended to aid OAS member states planning to implement digital terrestrial television (DTT). The Guide is a compendium of experiences from countries that have already made significant progress in the migration to digital.

The incorporation of the DVB-T and DVB-H standards in the CITEL guide has been accelerated as a result of the adoption of the standards by Uruguay, a member of the OAS. Uruguay adopted the DVB-T and DVB-H standards in August 2007 and has already launched some DVB-T services, while DVB-H trials are under way.

The selection of a DTT system is now at a critical stage for a number of countries in the region, including Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela and Chile. During recent months, significant efforts have been made by the DVB community to propose DVB-T and DVB-H as the best options for the transition to DTT in Latin America. The inclusion of DVB standards in the Guide is seen as an important endorsement that supports these activities.

Many other countries in the region, including the Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, and Paraguay are also addressing their requirements and making plans for the introduction of DTT services.

The process of incorporating the DVB standards in the CITEL Guide has been strongly supported by the DVB Project, the European Commission and many other industries.