GS Group proposes new model of Russia’s digital future at the conference Digital&Connected TV Russia

On March 26, at the conference Digital&Connected TV Russia – a large national forum devoted to Pay TV in Russia, GS Group presented a new solution of the problem of digital inequality in Russia. A special set-top-box model is to facilitate the switchover of Russian TV viewers to digital television from the obsolete analog system.

Andrey Bezrukov, Acting Director for Strategic Marketing of GS Group, took part in the round-table meeting “Barriers and Opportunities for Broadcasting Digitization in Russia”. In the course of discussions, the industry representatives noted the competition existing not only between Pay TV and free-to-view but also between satellite and terrestrial TV. The discussion resulted into GS Group’s proposal on combining these two formats which would allow uniting the successful model of satellite Pay TV broadcasting and digital terrestrial TV being launched by the government.

GS Group presented its proprietary solution using the principle of combining satellite and terrestrial TV functions in one device. The GS Group’s Acting Director for Strategic Marketing told the round-table meeting participants about the new digital set-top-box from GS Group under the brand of General Satellite, which is to enter the market this summer. Andrey Bezrukov explained that the model E503 is to combine the functions of receiving both satellite and terrestrial digital signals, which would enable the subscribers using satellite Pay TV to receive terrestrial signal as well. The major advantage of the combined set-top-box E503 is in the fact that if either of two types of broadcast, satellite or terrestrial, becomes inaccessible by any reason, the user can always receive the TV channels included into the first and second multiplexes. The model will support receiving the high-definition TV signal (HDTV).

During the round-table discussion, the industry representatives paid attention to the importance of GS Group as a systemic actor in telecom field and pointed out the necessity of the Holding’s active participation in key industry-specific events devoted to this subject matter.

The national Pay TV forum – V Conference Digital&Connected TV Russia – was attended by the major analysts and the most important actors of the market. The conference is supported by the Russian Ministry of Telecommunications. Besides this ministry, the National Association of TV and Radio (NAT) and the Association of Cable TV of Russia (ACTR) act as co-organizers of this largest TV forum in Russia. Digital & Connected TV Russia’2014 was prepared with the support from the Association of Developers and Manufacturers of TV and Radio Equipment (ARPAT), HD Union Association, Association of Enterprises of Computer and Information Technologies, International Academy of Telecommunications (IAT), Association of Regional Telecom Operators and Russian Association of Electronic Communications (RAEC).