29 February, Minsk /Andrei Asfura - BELTA/. From March 1, 2012, a reference and information service will start operating in Belarus to advise the public on the transition to digital television broadcasting. This was announced today to journalists by Viktor Zaitsev, Head of the Television, Radio Communication and Broadcasting Section of the Electrosignalization Department of the Ministry of Communications and Informatization, as reported by a BELTA correspondent. To receive advice, it will be necessary to call the number 172. A representative of the Ministry of Communications and Informatization also said that the broadcast of "Channel 8" in the digital multiplex of eight television programs has currently been suspended due to non-fulfillment of contractual obligations regarding the payment of electrosignalization services. The list of television programs included in the digital multiplex is determined by the Ministry of Information. All these TV channels are available to users of digital terrestrial television broadcasting free of charge. The Head of Section emphasized that "Channel 8" has not been excluded from the digital multiplex, but its broadcast has only been suspended. Currently, the coverage of digital television broadcasting in Belarus is 94.9%. The broadcast of digital television is provided by 57 digital television transmitters of the Belarusian Radio and Television Transmitting Center.-0-

BELTA