Cyprus addresses digital television transition issues

On July 1, Cyprus transitioned its free-to-air television broadcasting to the DVB-T2 standard, resulting in widespread signal loss for many households. The shift was mandated because the previous 15-year-old system’s license had expired and the infrastructure could no longer support upgrades. In response to the disruption, the government reactivated the old broadcasting platform to run in parallel with DVB-T2 for a temporary period of three months. Deputy Minister for Innovation Nicodemos Damianou acknowledged that the scale of the disruption was unanticipated and announced that technical adjustments to the new platform will begin early next week. Authorities attribute remaining reception issues to outdated home antenna equipment and faulty wiring rather than the platform itself. The government is currently considering financial subsidies to assist households with the costs of upgrading their equipment. Officials have not ruled out extending the parallel broadcast period beyond the initial three months if necessary.