The Digital Network Covers Nearly the Whole of Finland

Digital Television


The Digital Network Covers Nearly the Whole of Finland
the eFinland Weblog
http://e.finland.fi/netcomm/news/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=40330
Helsinki, 30 August, 2005 —

Digital television is now available in almost the whole of continental Finland. The digital network covers about 99.9% of Finnish households and the target of 100% coverage will be reached by the end of 2005. According to a survey made in July 2005, every third household in Finland has a set-top box.

In digital transmissions the picture and sound quality are better than in analogue transmissions. Frequency bands can be utilised more efficiently, which means that frequencies can also be allocated for special-interest channels. The new technology TV is suitable not only for viewing programmes but also for utilising personal services.

The most recent service provided on digital TV is voice subtitling, which is available on YLE’s digital TV1. The text on the screen can be heard as synthetic speech. This helps people with impaired vision or reading skills follow foreign TV series.

In Finland, the digital switch-over will take place on 31 August 2007. However, the transition does not only concern Finland but is a Europe-wide project. Almost every EU country is planning to switch over by 2010.

Further Information and Assistance A national service centre DigiTV Info provides further information in Finnish, Swedish and English: telephone +358 306 3444 88, open every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Websites www.digitv.fi and www.digitelkkari.fi contain information on the progress of the digital TV network, technological developments, channels and equipment. Information is also available on pages 618-619 of the YLE, MTV3, and Nelonen teletext.

Your local cable TV operator will provide you with information on cable television networks and services available near you; operator details from the Finnish Cable Television Association, www.kaapelitelevisio.fi tel. +358 9 2287 7450. Antenna Info helps in matters regarding the receiving of digital TV broadcasts, tel: +358 203 124 124 (weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

More informationinfo@digitv.fi