Kyiv, Ukraine. March 31, 2009 under the official support of Trade and Investment Promotion Department of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Kyiv, the International Conference “Digital broadcasting technologies of TV content: on the way to 2012. Ukraine and Poland: results, plans, and reality” took place. This conference is the first event within the comprehensive program “Ukraine on Air” this year.

The conference was organized by the state-owned operator of terrestrial broadcasting networks the Broadcasting, Radio and Television Concern (the BRT Concern), Internews-Ukraine International Non-Governmental Organization and TECHEXPO, the organizer of EEBC Telecom & Broadcasting exhibition and conference.

The conference was opened by the discussion “Ukraine and Poland on the way to the introduction of digital broadcasting technologies”. The Polish side was represented at the round table by Magena Sliz, Adviser to the President of Electronic Communications Office, Wiktor Sega, Director of the Department of Frequency Resources Management, and Andzej Grabowski, First counselor of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland. The Ukrainian side was represented by Alexander Pivnyuk, Deputy Director General of the BRT Concern, Theodore Narytnik, academician, Director of the Institute of Electronics and Communications of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, and Anatoly Maryenko, Deputy Chairman of OSC Meridian. The round table was devoted to discussing the issues of the current situation in the introduction of digital broadcasting in two countries: what had been done by the beginning of 2009, the problems facing the countries in dealing with the project of digital TV implementation, and the prospects for the successful implementation of the projects.

MAGENA SLIZ, Adviser to the President of Electronic Communications Office
“This conference gives us great concern, because in Poland serious work is being done for the transition from analog to digital TV. The date of transition to digital broadcasting has to be endorsed by the European Commission, and I think this will happen by 2013. Regarding terrestrial digital broadcasting, we have begun installing the first station, and are planning to complete the process in two years. With regard to mobile TV, the process has already begun – we have conducted a special tender, and this year, I believe, the first station will begin its work”.

At the second session, science gave its weighty utterance: the representatives of Odessa National Academy of Communications named after A.S. Popov and the Institute of Radio, Television and Electronics presented a report on international standardization of digital broadcasting technologies, and the representatives of the Training Center for digital broadcasting specialists and the Ukrainian Research Institute of Radio and Television addressed the meeting on the aspects of frequency-spatial planning.

The third session was devoted to presenting the experience of implementing the projects of digital broadcasting in terrestrial, cable, satellite and IP environments. The speakers were: the state-owned operator of terrestrial broadcasting networks the Broadcasting, Radio and Television Concern (Ukraine), Levira JSC (Estonia), Volia (Ukraine), OSC Ukrtelecom (Ukraine), and Al-Baath University (Syria).

ALEXANDER PIVNYUK, deputy director general of the BRT Concern, presented the experience of building in Ukraine areas of simultaneous terrestrial broadcasting illustrated by Kyiv, Zhytomyr and Odessa regions. He also announced the launch of MPEG 4 broadcasting on April 1, 2009, in Kyiv, Zhytomyr (17 and 18 synchronous areas), and Odessa regions (70 and 74 synchronous areas), and also commented on the role of the Concern in the process of digitalization: “With our unique infrastructure – 500 TV poles, towers, etc., we are a natural performer of the program of digital television introduction. Independently of who is our governing body, independently of who this task will be set to – the executive that is developing system solutions is the BRT Concern.

Regarding the economic component of digital television introduction, this issue is solved through attracted funds. But before there is a legislative basis, speak about it is difficult, because the state does not define the rules of the game in the market.

Representatives of Levira JSC, the operator of terrestrial broadcasting networks, shared their practical experience of implementing digital television broadcasting in Estonia. The emphasis was put on informing the public about the transition to digital television.

MART EINPALU, Levira JSC Chairman of the Board
“The process of informing the public about the transition to digital broadcasting in Estonia began in 2003. Since it is very important to regularly deliver the information to the public through all available channels: print media, television, the Internet, etc., – at the end of 2008 it was decided to establish a government commission to inform the public about digital broadcasting. This experience was borrowed from Finland, which created such commission already in 2001.

The Commission has been working for more than six months according to a developed plan, and has conducted two surveys on the consumers’ awareness. The results of these surveys were published, and it was a pleasant surprise for me that according to the results of the latest study the notion of “digital TV” is no more a mysterious novelty, and the population of Estonia takes the transition to digital broadcasting as norm. By the way, analog broadcasting in Estonia will be completely switched off on July 1, 2010”.

Andrey Stesin, Deputy Head of Services Development Department, OSC Ukrtelecom, presented digital IPTV services already implemented under the brand name of U.TV.

Sergey Boiko, president of Volia company, described the successful experience of the introduction of the digital format in the implemented projects, as well as the characteristics of communications and informing consumers about the transition to digital broadcasting.

At the final session, “Technological solutions for the development of digital broadcasting”, practical solutions for the Ukrainian operators and companies were presented by Conax, Alcatel-Lucent, Thomson Grass Valley, Larcan Inc., Harris Corporation, Broadcast Communication, IST, NDS Limited and Information Technologies.

The conference presented the Ukrainian developers of equipment for digital broadcasting networks, in particular Set Top Box developed and manufactured by OAO Meridian, and IST company presented rubidium frequency standard and block of sensors of the system monitoring synchronization signal.

VLADIMIR SOKOLOV, Regional Sales Director, Larcan Inc.
“Each and every decision is technically applicable to the conditions of Ukraine, since Ukraine, Russia and Canada have a similar terrain. If it is actively used in Canada and Russia, and I see no reasons why it cannot be applied in Ukraine. If we talk about the price – the banking system of Canada tops the international ratings in stability, we already have initial experience in financing and implementation of our products both in Ukraine and Russia. In both cases, we are supported by the Canadian Business Development Export Agency - a government agency dealing with the issues of financing sales of Canadian equipment worldwide. The solution is ready – we only have to say what we need. According to the experience with Russia, interest and repayment deadlines are attractive, grace-period may be discussed, i.e. the desire to work is the only thing required”.

LARISSA MAKAROVSKAYA, Conax AS regional sales manager:
“With regard to good low-cost solutions, it is Romsat company that has a proposal of a distributed system (a system for rent). At the moment there are ready servers with the conditional access system, and this version (Conax CAS system for digital television for rent) is several times cheaper than the entire system. This way several operators in Ukraine have already been connected and working”.

ALEXANDER GLUSHCHENKO, the publisher of Mediasat magazine, the conference participant
“Considering the development of digital TV in Ukraine as a whole, according to plan broadcasting must be actively implemented, transmitters must be launched, multiplex built, at least half the population of the country must be able to watch digital terrestrial television. In practice, as we see, all is done in a different way. Little has been done besides talks. On April 1, DVB-T @mpeg-4 broadcasting is launched in 4 zones: 17, 18, 70, and 74. And this is a drop in the ocean of what has to be done. Although the delay might help us in some way, and by 2015 we may decide there is no need to launch DVB-T@mpeg-4, but DVB-T2 HDTV already. If by 2015 we are unable to start terrestrial broadcasting, at least in the border areas, we will be deprived of the frequencies. Regarding this conference, it stimulates market participants to demonstrate the results of their work, and also serves as a litmus test of progress in the industry, and if representatives of some state bodies are not participating – a conclusion can be drawn that they have nothing to say. Whether we want it or not, all organizations involved in digitalization of Ukraine need to meet, communicate, negotiate and reach a unanimous decision, to which such conferences as this one are very conducive”.