German DTV switchover success

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Germany's Berlin and Brandenberg regions have proved to be an excellent test bed for future European switchovers from analogue to digital TV, such as that outlined for the UK in the Ofcom consultation document published today.

According to the Media Institution of Berlin and Brandenburg (MABB), which managed the switchover, the process was far smoother than anticipated.

"The technology worked and people got more channels and a better picture as a result of going to digital," MABB director Hans Hege told FT Creative Business.

More than 1m digital set-top boxes are expected to be sold this year, and Hege expects half the German population to have switched to digital terrestrial TV by the end of 2005. MABB is also conducting trials with companies including Nokia and Vodafone to send digital TV signals to handheld devices.

Compared with 12 channels on the old analogue terrestrial system, the digital service offers 27 television channels. However, the overall effect on viewing habits across the regions has been limited as prior to switchover only 7% of the region's households relied on analogue terrestrial TV for their primary viewing.