PM says Russia to tune to digital TV over 6 months in 2019

MOSCOW, Nov 15 (PRIME) -- Russia’s switching to digital television will be gradual, starting in February 2019 and taking six months, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday at a government meeting.

“A final transfer to the digital format will be smooth: it will start in February next year and will last six months. We’ll have to set stages of the transfer, an order of the regions moving to digital television fully and in a trial mode,” Medvedev said.

“We should compensate expenses to the socially vulnerable citizens for the purchase of set-top boxes. This procedure should be simple, and we have to think how it will be organized in villages. It could be done by post or by other options.”

Technical assistance in connection and adjustment of the equipment should be also provided, the prime minister said.

The country fully moves to digital television from January 2019 with two multiplexes of 10 channels and three radio channels that will cover over 98% of the population.

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