Chile postpones analogue TV switch off to 2024

Chile has postponed the switch to digital TV to 2024, the country’s government announced on Wednesday, May 15.

The announcement comes as part of a revised plan for the implementation of digital television over the next four years.

It is expected that this plan will see 80% of Chileans have a digital signal by 2022.

This update comes after Chile’s national television association, Asociación Nacional de Televisión de Chile (ANATEL) requested a postponement of the original cut off date from regulator Subsecretaría de Telecomunicaciones (SUBTEL).

Minister of Transport and Telecommunications, Gloria Hutt, said: “Upon taking office, the Government initiated conversations with the different actors inside the sector to know the reality of the industry. As a result, we have created a deployment plan that is focused on two objectives: to build a realistic agenda with demands for the industry to be updated to the required standards and to allow all Chileans to access quality TV regardless of where in the country they are.”

Undersecretary of Telecommunications, Pamela Gidi, added: “President Sebastián Piñera urged us, once and for all, to establish a clear working timetable with the industry to solve the digital isolation experienced by thousands of users across the country.

“Today we present this plan, which although extends the deadline for the analog switch-off in four years, also imposes clear rules, with an agenda of compliance by date.”