France uncovers “large number” of illegal retransmissions

March 9, 2009 | 08:19 UK

In France, the media authority CSA has uncovered a “large number” of illegal retransmissions during the analogue switch-over process. In many cases, these unlicenced transmitters are used as gap-fillers to improve reception of the terrestrial analogue broadcasts. In many cases, the transmitters were set up by local municipalities

According to local press reports, these transmitters will have to fit into the national frequency plan or must cease transmissions. The CSA said the national digital coverage plan calls for 95% reach of the “historical” terrestrial channels at a national level; or 91% at a departemental level. But the authority also said that for the “new” FTA channels, potential reach will be less. People wanting to receive these channels will have to switch to satellite reception, where services such as TNTSat offer all the FTA terrestrial channels.

The CSA also found illegal retransmissions of four Catalan channels from neighbouring Spain in the Catalan part of the country, around the city of Perpignan. Until recently, these retransmissions were tolerated, but the analogue transmitters have been switched off on February 19th. Meanwhile, the Catalan government has requested official permission to include these rebroadcasts in the digital terrestrial frequency plan.