The starting point for the countries of Europe, Africa and part of Asia in establishing, developing and introducing terrestrial digital TV broadcasting was the Regional Radiocommunication Conference for planning of the digital terrestrial broadcasting service in parts of Regions 1 and 3, in the frequency bands 174-230 MHz and 470-862 MHz (RRC-06), held in May and June 2006 in Geneva and attended by representatives from 104 countries. The conference was devoted to aspects of planning of terrestrial digital TV broadcasting and issues pertaining to the transition from analogue to digital TV. In order to speed up the introduction of digital TV to replace analogue TV, the deadline for completing the analogue to digital transition was set at 17 June 2015.
The Administration of the Republic of Belarus proposed a regional initiative to establish a regional Advisory and Methodological Centre in Minsk for the introduction of digital TV and sound broadcasting. In 2009 and 2010 the proposal was discussed at the RCC level and subsequently submitted to WTDC-10. The initiative was adopted by WTDC-10 without amendment.
Pursuant to a decision of RCC Member States, the Administration of the Republic of Belarus was appointed coordinator of the regional initiative, for which the following working title was approved: "Establishment of an Advisory and Methodological Centre in Minsk to help RCC Member States in transition from analogue to digital TV, development of interactive multimedia application for terrestrial digital TV and radio broadcasting, training of digital TV and radio broadcasting specialists".
The goal of the Centre creation is to assist RCC member-states and their neighbouring countries in development and implementation of agreed decisions on the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting in accordance with national plans for the introduction of digital broadcasting, including border areas between the states of Regions 1 and 3 for completion by 2015.
The project under the regional initiative on establishment of the Advisory and Methodological Centre in Minsk on the basis of and in cooperation with OJSC Giprosovyaz was implemented in 2011-2013.
