CYPRUS’ entry into the digital world at midnight yesterday went smoothly, with no major problems being reported.
According to the head of the Communications Ministry’s Department of Electronic Communications, Stelios Chimonas, everything went well, while the necessary adjustments were made by the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC) and consortium Velister, to ensure the areas that don’t receive the digital signal yet, will receive the analogue one for another few months.
“Today the day started well digitally,” Chimonas said yesterday. “Last night, everything went excellently. Everyone implicated in ending the analogue transmissions and starting the new digital ones cooperated so well, the entire effort was completed at around 12:10 (am) and now we are waiting to see how the new environment will operate.”
He added: “We made the necessary provisions. For example, last night Velister operated a new network, while the CyBC started new transmissions.”
But Chimonas pointed out, “These new elements need to be given time to be regulated and coordinated”.
Chimonas concluded that transition to the new digital environment was a necessity, which will offer Cypriots better sound and viewing, as well as unlimited opportunities.
Meanwhile, the general manager of the Cyprus Broadcasting Authority, Neophytos Epaminondas, yesterday confirmed that all non-subscription local television channels – except Plus TV, whose application for digital TV is still pending – would be transmitted as normal as of yesterday’s switchover.
“Plus TV is not ready to enter the digital era, as it only submitted its application last Tuesday, which however was lacking information and our Board of Directors asked for added data, which will have to be assessed in a new meeting this Wednesday,” Epaminondas explained.
He was keen to stress that this didn’t mean the TV station would be closing down; it just won’t be on air for a few days.
Apart from the current terrestrial stations – CyBC’s Rik 1 and 2, Ant1, Mega and Sigma – licensing for island-wide transmission has also been given to Fred TV, Larnaca channel Music TV, Limassol’s Capital TV and Extra TV.
