On the night of Monday June 24 to Tuesday June 25, 2019, TDF technicians will be working on the 6 sites of the main network to rearrange digital terrestrial television (DTT) frequencies. Rearrangements will continue until the end of the week on the 95 sites of the complementary network. Throughout the operation, more than thirteen technicians will be mobilized.

The DTT platform is the leading mode of TV reception in France, with coverage of 97% of the population and 68% of households using it (IFOP survey - May 2018, available at www.tdf.fr).
Homes in this geographical area* (nearly one million inhabitants) will need to perform an automatic channel scan to continue receiving all DTT channels.

An operation of precision and expertise

This mountainous region, with its difficult site access conditions and its border with Italy, makes this operation a delicate one. Interventions require expert know-how and precision. TDF technicians are mobilized in advance and on D-day to restore digital terrestrial television broadcasting as quickly as possible to ensure continuity of service.
A supervision unit has been set up to closely monitor the entire operation at the 101 TDF sites concerned.

Operations will take place in two stages:
- At the 6 sites on TDF's main network, operations will take place between 1 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Monday night, to enable as many viewers as possible to get their DTT channels back on Tuesday morning;
- At the other 95 sites on the complementary network, the work will continue until the end of the week.

The work will mainly involve changing the multiplexing cell and modifying the transmission configuration. On this occasion, TDF will modify 265 frequencies.

New frequencies for mobile operators

The rearrangement of DTT frequencies, which began in October 2017, is entering its final, thirteenth phase. The 3,400 DTT frequencies have been progressively rearranged to enable the transfer of the 700 MHz band in order to make new frequencies available to operators and thus provide better mobile coverage across France. This nationwide frequency rearrangement operation involved all French households.
Each phase of the operation was successfully completed. The transfer of frequencies enabled mobile operators to roll out their 4G networks in the 700 MHz band.

* The area covered by this latest phase of redevelopment includes Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (departments of Isère and Savoie) and part of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (departments of Hautes-Alpes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence).
The main towns are Grenoble (38), Chambéry (73) and Gap (05).