Juan Carlos Duarte, President at Conatel in Paraguay, said that, by the end of 2021, the regulator will implement the analog blackout in the first of 14 zones established in the country. The first area includes Asuncion, Departamento Central and some towns of Cordillera, Paraguari and Presidente Hayes, as well as the Ñeembucu district.

‘To date, many analog TV channels already broadcast in digital format, in the ISDB-Tb standard. By the end of December 2021, all analog channels in the first zone will migrate to DTT. We will follow  the same guideline in the other established areas, and, this way, arrive at the end of 2024, to conclude with the analog blackout and have a digital network nationwide’, said Duarte.

The executive also reported that the procedures are planned to be implemented with the  Industry and Commerce Ministry (MIC) and the National Customs Directorate (DNA) so that legal measures are adopted, and only TVs with STBs suitable for the country system can be available. At present, TVs suitable for receiving digital TV in the country are identified with a sticker.

Duarte added that Conatel invested on a digital TV laboratory, which aims to register STB models of the different brands that importers and distributors bring. To date, as Duarte specified, there are more than 70 inspected models.