A major development for DTT
UHD / 4K technology offers viewers an image definition four times greater than High Definition, but also an improved contrast ratio (HDR), a wider color range, a higher frame rate and more immersive sound. DVB-T2 and HEVC broadcasting and compression standards are used, which are more efficient than current DTT standards.
Viewers located in broadcasting areas and equipped with compatible TV sets can now receive France 2 (on channel 52 in mainland France and channel 22 in the French overseas territories) and France 3 (from July 10 to September 10 on channel 53 in mainland France and channel 23 in the French overseas territories) with this exceptional picture and sound quality.
A nationwide plan
The initial target of 70% coverage has been met and even exceeded. Since January 2024, the rollout orchestrated by ARCOM and France Télévisions has taken place in eight successive phases in all regions of mainland France and overseas (Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion Island, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Mayotte and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon). (map at end of press release)
TDF, technological pioneer of the DTT platform
Free, anonymous, freely accessible and of the highest quality, the DTT platform is a major mode of television reception in France, with coverage of 97% of the population.
It's also a less energy-intensive, and therefore more environmentally-friendly, way of receiving television than via the Internet.
For many years, TDF has been working alongside TV channels, equipment manufacturers and other industry players to reinvent DTT broadcasting and enable it to incorporate the latest image, sound and interactivity technologies. UHD is one of the key elements of this evolution.
Ahead of this eagerly-awaited launch, TDF has been carrying out numerous UHD broadcast tests since 2018 to experiment with and demonstrate the performance of the new broadcast formats and technologies (UHD definition, more immersive sound, improved contrast ratio, etc.), both in mainland France and overseas.
To receive DTT in UHD
To benefit from this broadcast, users with compatible TV sets will need to carry out an automatic or manual channel search on their TV.
The ma TNT website, published by TDF (https://www.matnt.tdf.fr), enables users to check precisely whether their area is covered by UHD, and to identify the frequencies used for this broadcast, which complements the 31 channels broadcast on TNT.
Karim El Naggar, Managing Director, Audiovisual and Networks, TDF Group, comments: "On the eve of an exceptional event in Paris and throughout France, I am delighted that Ultra High Definition is now available on DTT for three quarters of the population. Thanks to our fruitful collaboration with our partner France Télévisions, 50 million viewers will be able to receive DTT in UHD and enjoy an immersive experience of the Olympic Games, which will be larger than life. After several months of intensive work, our efforts are bearing fruit and contributing to the constant evolution of the terrestrial platform. DTT is a free, environmentally-friendly way of broadcasting television, accessible to everyone, everywhere in France. It's also a technology for the future, to which TDF has been actively contributing for several years. With UHD, we're taking a new step forward, working with the channels to meet the expectations of French viewers and the new uses and consumption patterns of television".