For over three years, industry players, and TDF in particular, have been working to modernize the DTT platform according to a roadmap drawn up and shared with Arcom and the public authorities. In June 2023, provisions promoting modernization were included by the Senate as part of the adoption of Senator Lafon's bill on the reform of public broadcasting and audiovisual sovereignty.
Viewers have also voted in favor of the experiments conducted with France Télévisions for Ultra High Definition (UHD / 4K) broadcasting of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which have demonstrated the feasibility and relevance of this modernization.
Upgrading DTT to UHD for all French people is part of Arcom's mission to offer them a free terrestrial TV service of the highest quality, innovative and competitive with online platforms. For some 10 million French people, DTT remains the only way to receive television.
The terrestrial platform is the cornerstone of French audiovisual policy. Accessible throughout the country, energy-efficient and open to all free of charge, DTT is an indispensable vector of social cohesion, guaranteeing cultural diversity and pluralism of information. In a context marked by online disinformation and geopolitical uncertainties, it is a reliable and sovereign platform that guarantees universal access to verified and diversified content.
By postponing the allocation of available frequencies, Arcom is depriving the industry and viewers of the opportunity to upgrade DTT to UHD / 4K.
Arcom's decision comes as the withdrawal of the Canal+ Group's pay-TV channels at the end of 2024 has freed up frequencies to roll out modernization on a large scale.
Arcom has thus missed this opportunity, ignoring the work that has been underway for over three years. During the public consultations it organized in July 2023 and April 2025, following the Conseil d'État's injunction, several publishers and broadcasters expressed their interest in this project. What's more, to support the widespread introduction of UHD on DTT, TDF has proposed an attractive pricing structure to industry players, which was presented to Arcom.
TDF calls on Arcom to reconsider its position and quickly launch a call for tenders to modernize DTT. At the same time, TDF and its partners will explore all possible actions to ensure that this modernization, essential for the French, becomes a reality.