Number of digital channels increases in Azerbaijan

The number of channels broadcasting in digital format in Baku and Absheron Peninsula will increase to 40 by the end of the first quarter of 2012, the Azerbaijani Communications and IT Ministry's Teleradio Production Unit General Director Aflatun Sharifov told.

"A 40-channel station installed in Baku was bought to increase the number of TV channels broadcasting in digital format, which is technically reasonable step," Sharifov said.

A new generation base station is multi-functional and it will gradually increase the number of television channels. Increasing the number of channels will depend on purchased additional equipment and transmitters.

"Now we plan to increase the number of channels by 16 and therefore we intend to buy an additional two transmitters. It is planned to increase the number of TV channels in digital format to 40 in March-April 2012," Sharifov said.

Today the signal transmitted by the station in Baku also covers Sumgayit, and the number of channels broadcasting in digital format is 24 channels.

Broadcasting of digital television is based on MPEG-4 standard. Population is required to buy decoders to transfer to a digital television standard.
 

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