SRG pulls the plug on DVB-T in June
On June 3, the terrestrial transmission of SRG programs (DVB-T) will finally be switched off. This transmission method is only used by 1.4 percent of the audience and is also no longer financially viable, according to an SRG statement on Tuesday.
After TeleRätia and Valaiscom, the two private DVB-T networks in Switzerland, have already shut down their operations, SRG is now following suit and will switch off its DVB-T (Digital Video Broadcasting - Terrestrial) on June 3, 2019. SRG, which announced major cost-cutting measures last year, will be able to save around CHF 10 million a year from 2020 as a result.
With DVB-T, a TV set without Internet or cable access can receive the TV signal "over the air". All that is needed is a small, simple antenna that is plugged into the TV. In the future, this network-independent reception option will only be possible via satellite. The satellite signal offers many more stations in higher quality, but reception is technically more complex.
In the country as a whole, only 1.4 percent of households are affected. To avoid uncertainty, SRG has been providing targeted information on the DVB-T channels since the beginning of 2019 by means of inserts in the current program. These can only be seen by viewers who need to respond. SRG also operates a hotline and provides assistance in switching to a different reception mode. (hae/SDA)
