This content was published on January 31, 2023 – 7:32 p.m. January 31, 2023 – 7:32 p.m
San José, January 31 (EFE).- Costa Rica this Tuesday completed the transition to open and free digital television throughout its territory using the Brazilian-Japanese standard (ISDB-Tb), the Ministry of Science, Innovation, Technology reported and Telecommunications (MICITT).
The definitive blackout of analogue television will take place this Tuesday at 23:59, making Costa Rica the first Latin American country to complete the transition to digital television on its entire territory with ISDB-Tb, according to MICITT.
“The cessation of analog television broadcasts as part of the implementation of the Brazil-Japan digital television standard is a clear example of how government policies implemented by various government agencies can be implemented in Costa Rica,” said MICITT Director Carlos Alvarado. in an official act.
In 2010, Costa Rica chose the Brazilian-Japanese format (ISDB-Tb) for digital television to ensure that it is the one that best suits the country’s conditions in terms of signal quality and robustness, as well as coverage.
Since then, the country has implemented an analogue blackout roadmap, which has suffered several delays due to technical and legal factors.
The switch-on of digital television has been carried out by zones and the government has taken initiatives to eliminate taxes on the importation and purchase of digital television antennas and converters and make these devices available to low-income families free of charge to encourage the transition.
The converter is a device that receives the digital signal and converts it into a signal that can be viewed on any television or screen that does not have the Japanese-Brazilian standard.
Digital television refers to a modern way of broadcasting, where the picture is clearer, the sound is better, and it allows to offer more programs on the same channel and other related services.
“I am pleased to know that the knowledge transferred from Japan and the human talent of Costa Rica have produced results with such a positive and long-term impact on Costa Rica. It is my desire and that of the Japanese people that the advances in technology and opportunities that result from the transition to digital television will be of prosperity and benefit to the people of Costa Rica,” said Japanese Ambassador to Costa Rica Shinjiro Komatsu .
The President of the National Chamber of Radio and Television (CANARTEL), Saray Amador, stressed that the transition is “a historic milestone” made possible thanks to a public-private alliance with the MICITT.
“We have successfully completed the digitization of free and free television across the country. This historical fact shows that the state and private companies can achieve positive things for citizens,” said Amador.
Official data shows that in Costa Rica 95.9% of households have a television, on average there are two in each house and that in 2019 30% of the people used open-ended analogue television. EFE
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