Costa Rica will turn off analog TV in 2017 with ISDB-T

According to forecasts from the Environment, Energy and Telecommunications (MINAET), the analogue blackout will cost $277 million between now and 2017. The Costa Rican government will distribute some 450,000 tuners to lower-income families.

Under the Brazilian-Japanese ISDB-T standard, Costa Rica will begin the migration to digital television starting in September, having set the blackout in 2017.

In a few days, the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications (MINAET) will publish the executive that will establish the guidelines that will mark the different phases of the analogue blackout between now and 2017.

Regarding costs, the channels will have to invest approximately 80 million dollars in software and transmitters. In total, it is estimated that the transition to digital will cost about 277 million dollars

The government includes in its migration plan the distribution of some 450,000 tuners for lower-income families who cannot purchase them. The subsidy for these devices will be about 48 million dollars.