Russia’s RTRS will complete the construction of its first DTT multiplex network by the end of this year.

The news was given by Vitaly Stytsko, its deputy general director, speaking at a regional ITU seminar.

Stytsko reminded delegates that the Federal Target Programme (FTP) for the development of broadcasting in Russia has been extended until 2018.

The first multiplex RTRS-1 currently reaches 91.5% of the Russian population, while the second, RTRS-2, is available to 62.8%.

Russia’s broadcasting network now includes 4,051 transmitters for the first multiplex and 2,487 for the second.

Separately, Vedomosti reports that the channel Muz-TV has entered into a settlement agreement with RTRS worth R216.7 million (€2.55 million) to clear its debts for digital broadcasting.

This follows a decision by the Arbitration Court of Moscow on a claim by RTRS that Muz-TV owed it a total of R664.6 million.

Muz-TV has already paid RTRS R447 million and will clear the remaining R216.7 million by the end of this year.