CSA calls for HD services as France prepares for 700MHz, MPEG-4 transitions

French media regulator the CSA has said it will issue a call for candidates to launch HD services on the country’s digital-terrestrial network, to coincide with the scheduled transition of the platform from the 700MHz spectrum, the planned migration of the platform to MPEG-4 and the anticipated shut-down of SD versions of channels that are available in HD.

The French government plans to migrate the DTT platform in April next year in order to make the 700MHz band available to telecom operators.

Candidates for the HD licences will only be able to launch services following legislative measures deemed to be necessary to ensure a smooth transition of the platform to MPEG-4 compression.

The CSA said it was launching an appeal now in the awareness of the need for broadcasters to plan for the changes ahead and the anticipated availability of new frequencies in April next year, when duplicate SD services will close and bandwidth will be made available by the MPEG-4 transition.

The regulator said its call would allow existing broadcasters to plan for the transition of their services to HD as well as for the possible introduction of new services.