Stay vigilant, as of November 21, you may no longer have access to your favorite channels. The National Frequency Agency (ANFR) will proceed with modifications on the television network. However, don’t panic; the operation will be much less complex than it seems.
Here we go again. Since 2005 and the arrival of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), the French have regularly faced changes in the operation of their televisions. Purchase of DTT boxes, upgrading reception installations for channels, the French have not been spared anything. This time, things promise to be different. No investment will be necessary. You will only need to grab your remote control and perform a simple channel search. A communication campaign will also be launched from November 6 to regularly remind people of the steps to be taken from each home.
The objective of this change is to continue improving the coverage of the mobile network in 4G. For Gilles Brégant, director of the ANFR, “it is an evolution that is part of a development logic. Today, mobile data consumption is exploding, which forces us to make adjustments to our network antennas to meet public demand.”
In the past two years, mobile data consumption via a smartphone or tablet has increased sixfold. This increase has forced the government to implement these adjustments, whose cost is estimated at 2.8 billion euros. This budget includes aid intended for viewers. They will range between 120 and 250€ to ensure the continuity of reception for households in the six months following the frequency changes. The same applies to building managers and local communities, who will have the opportunity to modernize their installations at a lower cost.
A measure that is part of the development of the digital economy in France for the years to come. Thus, the Côte d’Azur will be the 3rd region to have these improvements following the Ile de France and Provence.
In total, a little over a million new households will be affected by these changes next month. Not all channels will be impacted. Only the France Télévision group, BFM TV, CNEWS, C8, CSTAR, and Gulli will cease broadcasting around one in the morning.
