Digital television in Uruguay

On August 27, 2007, the Uruguayan government issued a decree stating that the DVB-T and DVB-H standards will be adopted. [cite web |url=http://www.presidencia.gub.uy/_web/decretos/2007/08/IE454_28%2005%202007_00001.PDF |title=Uruguay |accessdate=2007-11-30] While HDTV-ready TV sets are available at the country, a few factors seem to constrain the development of the new technology in the near term:
* 2006-2007 : Prices for LCD, Plasma and DLP-based TV sets can be two times more expensive in Uruguay than in the region, or four times more expensive than in the US, while wages are also lower than in the region. Some DLP-based displays can cost up to US$7000 in Uruguay as of 2006. There have been few examples, if any, of CRT-based HDTV sets. Taxes seem to play a huge factor in the high prices: There is an almost 30% tax on imported electronics, plus there is 22% VAT, which might have to be paid to the tax office in advance (prior to the sale of the item), and the taxes on employees's salaries are also high.Fact|date=February 2007
* The cable industry has few incentives to provide other services beyond basic TV services: Internet-by-cable and cable telephony have been either strictly prohibited by law (Antel, the local telco company owned by the government and with a strong union, enjoys a monopoly on basic telephony services and land lines) or thwarted by high taxes on equipment that make a business case for newer technologies unfeasible. Digital Cable has started rolling out, with an initial 100% increase of monthly cost for the SD digital service. High prices for HDTV sets do not help. Some of the cable companies for the largest markets are also owned by the largest local TV content providers, which as of 2006 have not started broadcasting any HDTV content since there has not been an approval of which standard is to be used by the government. One broadcast TV channel (Tveo) owned by the state, has not started to make HDTV tests, demos or broadcasts, while at the same time its content is of low quality.Fact|date=February 2007
* DirecTV might be in a better position to provide HDTV content, given that they have experience and content from the US and given that they serve the whole continent. But DirecTV's policy in Uruguay has been that of providing "leftover" equipment from Argentina to its customers in Uruguay (i.e., first-generation RCA receivers), which as of now do not support HDTV content or Dolby AC-3 Sound. Uruguayan DirecTV customers have no way of buying an alternative enhanced HD DirecTV set, as in the States or in Argentina, other than the one provided by DirecTV as part of their contract.Fact|date=February 2007
* Uruguay hoped for neighboring countries reaching an agreement on an HDTV standard, but so far that does not seem to be the case.
* Brazil adopted ISDB-T system on November 2007 after a very extensive and consistent study (executed by Mackenzie University and Television Engineering Association) where ISDB-T standard presented more robust signal, more flexible services including mobile TV reception for free and excellent user interactive services. And the implementation rollout through the country has been very successful. The prices of digital TV receivers and set-top boxes are fastly decreasing.
* Argentina is now analyzing ISDB-T to verify if the standard also attends their needs. There is a wish to implement only one Digital TV standard in all Mercosur Area, and if Argentina chooses ISDB-T it will be an important step for that integration (except for Uruguay).
* Uruguayan URSEC authorities have provided no information on which road they will go until late on 2007. On August 27th, 2007, Ursec settled on DVB-T and DVB-H. The TV sets being sold in Uruguay seem to be closer to ATSC HDTV-based standards (60 Hz systems, with ATSC tuners in some cases). Most of the DVD-based content in the country is NTSC/60 Hz-based, while the TV standard in use is PAL/50 Hz-based. Most of the analog TV sets sold are PAL-N, PAL-M and NTSC capable, while most DVD players are multiregion. Authorities are not asking retailers to identify which standard the HDTV sets sold adhere to. On the bright side, it seems that most HDTV standards support both 60/50 streams, so that should not be an issue since the TV sets will have to also support both standards to be certified.Fact|date=February 2007
* Sometime during 2007, TVC (a wireless UHF cable operator in Montevideo) added to its analog lineup of channels, a digital package using DVB equipment and standard definition.
* 2008: In August, cable operator Nuevo Siglo of Montevideo announced they would be adding the Movie City HD signal to their line up, becoming the first HD signal to be transmitted in Uruguay for paying subscribers.

External links

* [http://www.ursec.gub.uy/ Regulatory agency of radio spectrum in Uruguay]
* [http://www.moviecityhd.tv/ Movie City HD for LatinAmerica Web Site]
* [http://www.dvb.org/news_events/news/uruguay_adopts_dvbt_and_d/index.xml DVB.org announcement on Uruguay's decision]

References