December launch for French HD DTT channels

Six new digital terrestrial HD channels in France will launch on December 12, broadbandtvnews.com reports.

According to TV regulator CSA, there will be two multiplexes with three HD channels each. HD1 (from the TF1 group), Chérie HD (NRJ group) and sports channel L’Equipe HD (Amaury group) will make up multiplex R7.

The new channels will initially reach 25 percent of the population, mainly in the cities of Paris, Bordeaux, Marseille, Bayonne, Auxerre Sens and Troyes.

The network will gradually increase in 14 steps until 97 percent of the population of mainland France will be reached by the autumn of 2014.