Cuba Continues Progress From Analog Television To Digital Television

Advanced Television
East Sussex, United Kingdom
27 July 2021

Cuba delays full digital TV until 2024
By Chris Forrester

Cuba has delayed its digital switchover. Cuba’s deputy minister of communications, Ana Julia Marine Lopez, confirmed in an interview with a local newspaper that the nation has put off a complete switch to DTT until 2024. She blamed the delay on costs and the ongoing financial problems the nation is facing. According to Marine Lopez, Cuba’s government has approved the financing that allowed to boost the production of set-top boxes and is expected to deliver 318,000 units this year. From 2013 to today Cuba has sold 2.7 million DTT STBs. However, some progress is being made; The first switch-over to DTT will start later this year in Cuba’s western provinces, followed in 2022 in the region from Villa Clara to Camagüey. The final phase, she said, would take place in 2023 in the eastern portion of the nation.

Xinhua News Agency
Beijing, China
24 May 2021

China supports development of Cuba's digital TV platform
By Yosley Carrero

HAVANA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Lazaro Campos, who works as a supervisor at Havana-based Camilo Cienfuegos electronics company, has changed his daily routine over the past few weeks as the island started manufacturing set-top boxes to meet local demand."Cuba is moving from analog (TV) to digital TV. That is why we want to make sure people get access to the necessary equipment," he said. Campos told Xinhua that components used in the production process were imported from China, which is the island's second largest commercial partner and a main technical assistance provider. "We have received training from Chinese experts who have very much contributed to improving the quality of our work," he added.So far, technicians from the Cuban electronics company have already manufactured 90,000 of the 318,000 converter boxes expected to be produced by the end of the year. In parallel, over 32,000 TV sets will be manufactured by the company in 2021 to supply the country's stores as well as to support Cuba's education and tourism industries.Sitting on a black chair, Nayta Perez checked the quality of sound and image of 32-inch and 43-inch hybrid TV sets before they were packaged and sent to a warehouse. "It is a very time-consuming process, but very important," she said. "We have to guarantee the product meets all the requirements for people to have a comfortable digital TV viewing experience at home."The state-run electronic company is also boosting innovation and research on digital TV at a laboratory donated by China. "We have gained some expertise with analog TV, but the digital era has changed almost everything," said 48-year-old Camilo Varona, who has been working in the company since 1994. "China and Cuba have built a win-win relationship."Digital television rollout in the Caribbean country kicked off in 2013, with converter boxes donated by the Chinese government being part of the first test in the capital city of Havana. At present, more than 40 municipal, provincial and national TV channels in Cuba broadcast via analog and digital signals. According to local media, new digital television transmitters would be spotted at various corners of the country this year.Edel Gomez, director of the electronics company, told Xinhua that Cuba uses renewable energy sources and environmentally friendly technologies to produce set-top boxes and hybrid TV sets. "The outcome of joint work between Chinese companies and Cuba has been very positive. The digital TV with Chinese standards has shown its high quality of signal reception, sound, and image resolution," he said. "Things are going well."

Advanced Television
East Sussex, United Kingdom
28 May 2013

Cuba to start DTT in June
By Chris Forrester

Cuba will start testing its Chinese version of digital terrestrial TV in June, Cuba has adopted China’s Digital Terrestrial Multimedia Broadcast standard (DTMB) and will start testing in “real conditions” around Havana, the capital. As part of the tests the Communications Ministry will be distributing set-top box decoders to various neighbourhoods to ensure adequate transmissions are being made. The Chinese government has donated much of the equipment needed. The test receiver boxes can be bought be residents at a price 7.35 Cuban Pesos (about US 33 cents) probably the lowest cost – to consumers – of a box anywhere on the planet.

Advanced Television
East Sussex, United Kingdom
22 March 2013

Cuba adopts Chinese TV standard
By Chris Forrester

It may not be the largest TV market on the planet but China must be pleased that it will be providing equipment for Cuba’s adoption of digital terrestrial TV, just 90 miles from the Florida coast. China’s DTMB standard (Digital Terrestrial Multimedia Broadcast) is used throughout China, Hong Kong, Macau and Laos. Other countries using it, although often in trial modes only, include Iraq, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. The advantages are that the system permits reception by handheld devices, and embraces HD, standard definition digital and delivery to multimedia devices.