Digital TV in Cyprus

[Narolines]

Does anyone happen to know whether digital TV via an aerial (as in British Freeview) is currently available or planned in Cyprus, or will I have to fork out for satellite? I just have old-fashioned analogue there at the moment. Thanksin advance.

[Buenchico]

(AB's server will only accept very short posts, so I'll try splitting this up):

I doubt that you'll ever get anything similar to Freeview in Cyprus. Here are my reasons:

1. Although CyBC is a member of the European Broadcasting Union, their Asiatic location means that Cyprus is not bound the international agreement on European frequency allocations. (It's this agreement which states that the frequencies currently used by analogue TV transmissions must be turned over to other users of the radio spectrum). So, there is no requirement for CyBC to 'go digital'.

[Buenchico]

2. Terrestrial digital TV requires massive financial investment. In the UK, this is provided by the BBC, ITV, BSkyB and the company which owns the transmssion network. (Those four jointly own Freeview). Nothing similar is in place in Cyprus.

3. The CyBC website proudly states their technological advances but makes no mention of planned digital services, either for radio or TV:
http://www.cybc.com.cy/cybc.htm

Chris

[Narolines]

Thanks Chris - that's confirmed what I thought. The CyBC website is, as you say, its usual unhelpful self (better than CyTA, though - try getting a landline in Cyprus!); looks like sattelite or stick with what's available on analogue, then! Cheers!