These last few years have been characterized by a rapid technological development in all sectors of communication: television, radio, mobile telephony and the Internet, with millions of people using these media in their work, study and leisure.
Rai Way, taking stock of its networks and its experience, participates in the major projects envisaged for our Country: first and foremost, Digital Terrestrial Television (DVB- T), which is enhancing the delivery of contents and services and promoting greater versatility for the benefit of users.
In the wake of the development of satellite TV, Digital Terrestrial TV is now a reality in all European Countries: the U.K. already has 5 million families equipped with a digital terrestrial decoder; Germany has already switched off analogue transmissions in some of its regions; France launched its new digital programmes on the 31 st. of March; Spain is rewording its legislation to include digital terrestrial TV technology.
All these countries are upstepping their action plans: in the U.K., the OFCOM has defined its Digitalization Plan; Spain and France have decided to move forward their Switch-Off date; Germany is already proceeding to switch off some of its regional areas.
Digital paths are becoming increasingly wider in Italy, after the Council of the Authority for the Guarantee of Communications approved a draft provision aimed at launching mobile TV services on the market by means of DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting - Handheld terminal) technology.
In concrete terms, after having complied with Italian DTT implementation phases, Rai Way's 2 Multiplex coverage had reached 50% of the national population by the end of 2003 and 70% by the 31 st of December 2004.
More recently , the finalisation process has concerned the following phases:
- 2006 Regionalisation of the MUX A Digital Terrestrial Television network, with the aim of guaranteeing the delivery of TG 3 at regional level;
- 2007 Switchover of RAI DUE to the Digital Terrestrial platform in Sardinia and in the city of Aosta and its neighbouring areas;
- 2008 Definitive switchover of television broadcasts to the Digital Terrestrial platform in Sardinia. The complete switch-off of analogue television channels converts Sardenia into the very first All Digital area in Europe.
- 2009 Switchover of RAI DUE to the Digital Terrestrial platform in Trentino Alto Adige
At present, our corporate mission, as a public service provider, is mainly focused on extending the delivery of digital terrestrial television to up to 85% of the population and on promoting the progressive switchover of all TV stations still broadcasting in analogue to a digital terrestrial platform. As laid down in Law 101/08, the switch-off process is envisaged to gradually spread throughout the other Regions in Italy and to be finalised by 2012..
The next important challenge on the road to “digital” technology is expediting the coming into full operation of High Definition services on digital terrestrial television. To this effect, an important preview of HD television broadcasting was provided during the 2008 European Football Championship in the metropolitan areas of Milan and Rome, as well as in the region of Sardinia and of Valle d'Aosta.
