Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 22 / Trend H.Valiyev /
The number of digital television channels in Baku and the Absheron peninsula will increase up to 52 units, Head of the Azerbaijani Communications and IT Ministry's PU Teleradio, Aflatun Sharifov told Trend.
Sharifov said the PU intends to purchase a 40-TV channel base station, after which the installation of the package consisting of 12 digital TV channels will be increased to 52 units. The PU expects to start work on this in January -February 2011.
Today the 12-channel television digital package is undergoing trials in Baku and the Absheron peninsula. The PU first demonstrated victory at the telecommunications exhibition, BakuTel-2010 when it successfully conducted an experiment to increase the number of digital TV channels to 24 units. 'The new generation 40-TV channel base station will be multi-functional and allow us to gradually expand the number of television channels to 60 and 80 units or more. Increasing the number of channels will depend on us purchasing additional transmission expansion equipment,' Sharifov said.
He mentioned that this will also affect an increase in the number of digital TV channels at the regional level, something which can be dealt with through the modernization of radio-relay lines and increase of its capacity.
"We will adjust for the increase in numbers to maintain stability in the transfer of digital content in the regions and, depending on how well the system behaves, the number of channels are likely to be on the rise. Theoretically, the system can transmit about 50 channels of digital television," Sharifov said.
To date, the company has completed the installation of the antenna-feeder systems in Lerik, and work is nearing conclusion in the Shirvan region. Teleradio also plans to install two transmitters in Lerik and Shirvan, since these two regions form a link to the southern region of the Baku-Alat-Shirvan-Bilasuvar-Jalilabad-Lankaran-Lerik route.
"The main line, built during the Soviet reign, requires upgrading to bring the signal to the Lerik region. Modernization of the route should be completed by late 2010, which will allow for the transfer of the digital signal via radio relay lines to Lerik and Shirvan," Sharifov said.
The launch of digital television in the border areas should help to eliminate the problem whereby foreign television channels invade Azerbaijan's air space. At present, the transmitters are already installed. After this, the workflow will be in a northwesterly direction.
Today, digital TV broadcasting has been commissioned for Baku and the Absheron Peninsula. Digital TV broadcasting happens through MPEG-4 format. The broadcasting signal from the Baku TV Tower reaches Salyan, Siyazan and Gobustan. Transmission quality is at a high level for both stationary reception and vehicles moving at speeds of up to 90 kilometers per hour.