Cyprus digital TV switch sparks 400 complaints as old network returns for three months

Local cyprustechnologyTop Newstv Cyprus digital TV switch sparks 400 complaints as old network returns for three months ΧΕΛΛΑΣ ΣΑΤ 1024x683 Relevant News Cyprus-flagged ship attacked in Strait of Hormuz as Iran closes waterway 12 July 2026 Cyprus digital TV switch sparks 400 complaints as old network returns for three months 12 July 2026 Cyprus solution far harder with today’s Turkey, warns US expert 12 July 2026 Ernestos Mousas 12 July 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Cyprus’s switch to the new DVB-T2 terrestrial digital television system ran into widespread problems from the first day of July, leaving households without a signal and prompting about 400 complaints over equipment, installation costs and technical failures. Twelve days after Hellas Sat took over the network, the government acknowledged that many households had not been ready for the change and that the scale of problems with domestic reception systems had not been properly anticipated. Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Nicodemos Damianou said the transition, though necessary, had failed in its first phase. He acknowledged the frustration caused and said ministry technicians and the contractor had been unable to predict the extent of the problem. Damianou said the problem was technical and mainly involved inadequate internal installations in many homes. As an immediate measure, he announced on Wednesday that he had asked for the Velister platform to be restored temporarily, giving consumers more time to retune their televisions and adapt to the new system. The government officially announced on Friday that Velister and Hellas Sat would broadcast in parallel for three months. The arrangement effectively restores the system used during the previous three-month trial period, when the old and new transmitters operated at the same time. Screens go black Complaints began within hours of the Velister transmitter being switched off, as viewers reported that their television screens had gone black. Despite efforts by the Deputy Ministry to explain what consumers needed to do before 1 July, many households had not returned their equipment or checked whether their televisions and reception systems were compatible. Responsibility has become a matter of debate. The public information campaign failed to prepare households adequately, but critics have also pointed to the tendency of some consumers to leave necessary action until the last minute. The management of radio frequencies is regarded as a national asset, meaning the state must ensure that consumers can receive free-to-air television without being charged for access to the signal. What went wrong? Charis Pafitis, a member of the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber’s electronics and information technology committee, said the government campaign had given the public a false sense of reassurance. Speaking on state radio, he said the campaign appeared to overlook the tendency of Cypriot consumers to wait until the last moment before taking necessary action. Pafitis said the campaign had created the impression that nothing significant would change and that viewers would simply need to retune their television sets. As a result, many consumers did not prepare. He also referred to panic caused by insufficient information. Many people who lost their television signal on 1 July rushed to buy set-top boxes, although in most cases the problem could have been resolved by adjusting the antenna or television settings. Consumer association receives unprecedented complaints The Cyprus Consumers Association said it had received an unprecedented wave of complaints, mainly involving the purchase, installation and operation of set-top boxes. Association figures show that about 400 written and telephone complaints have been recorded. In one case, a low-income pensioner told the association that she had paid between €150 and €160 for two set-top boxes and their installation. The woman, who lives in a village far from her relatives, said she had been forced to contact a technician for help. The technician reportedly bought set-top boxes for two televisions in her home, as well as an antenna, with the total charge also covering installation and television tuning. When the association contacted her later, she said one of the two boxes was not working. The fault could have resulted from incorrect installation, a defective or incompatible box, or wiring in the home that needed to be replaced. The association also received reports of newly purchased boxes overheating. Some consumers threw the devices away because they feared they could cause damage or a fire. Other consumers turned to online retailers to buy cheaper boxes than those available in Cyprus. The association raised concerns about the reliability and safety of some online products and urged consumers to check that the CE marking could not be rubbed off. A further problem involves consumers who have already paid for a set-top box, only to discover that the real fault lies with their home wiring. Those households will need another visit from a technician and will face additional charges. AKEL takes issue with parliament AKEL has registered the matter for discussion before the relevant parliamentary committee following the failed attempt to complete the transition smoothly. The opposition party said the switch caused significant disruption and financial costs for thousands of people. In addition to buying new equipment, many consumers had to pay technicians, while even modern and compatible televisions required technical intervention for connection or programming, it said. AKEL said it would seek a full briefing from the authorities on the planning and implementation of the transition, the adequacy of public information and the measures taken to address the problems. It will also ask what action the government intends to take to protect and support consumers and whether it will investigate unjustified price increases and possible profiteering. Virginia Christou: Poor information and unjustified price rises Legal officer at the Cyprus Consumers Association The Cyprus Consumers Association is dealing with an unprecedented wave of complaints concerning the purchase, installation and operation of set-top boxes following the Deputy Ministry’s recent campaign. In less than a week, the association received a three-digit number of complaints from consumers expressing anger over the disruption they had experienced and the costs they were forced to bear. A central issue is the sudden and unjustified rise in the price of set-top boxes. Devices that initially cost between €18 and €20 are now being sold for between €33 and €35, without consumers having received adequate information. The increase has placed a significant burden on households, particularly vulnerable groups already struggling with the higher cost of living. Dozens of consumers have also complained about excessive charges from private technicians, who demanded between €45 and €120 for purchasing and installing a set-top box and tuning channels, often without issuing a receipt. In many cases, some channels stopped broadcasting only a few days after installation, leaving consumers with equipment that did not work as the installer had promised. There have also been serious reports involving unsuitable and potentially uncertified set-top boxes that did not meet the specifications set out in the official campaign. These devices fell outside the approved process, leaving consumers out of pocket without receiving the expected service. Safety concerns have also been recorded, including sparks during connection, overheating devices and plugs, and cases in which consumers threw boxes away because they feared damage or fire. Poor information from the Deputy Ministry also led many people to unnecessary expenses, including buying new antennas or replacing wiring when there was no actual need. In some cases, businesses encouraged consumers to buy a new television, claiming that “the same problem will happen again in a few years”. The association described this practice as unjustified and misleading. The complaints reveal widespread failings in the implementation of the campaign, resulting in financial costs, misleading advice, technical problems and safety risks. Although some may regard a €35 charge, in addition to technicians’ fees, as an “insignificant amount”, it is not insignificant for thousands of households. Nicodemos Damianou: We do not underestimate the disruption caused Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Cyprus’s transition to the new terrestrial digital television technology is an important technological upgrade which, unfortunately, caused problems for some members of the public. We fully acknowledge the disruption caused and under no circumstances underestimate or ignore it. Preparations for the transition included a three-month public information campaign and a period during which the old and new networks broadcast in parallel, allowing all consumers to take the necessary action in time. Most consumers did not do so. The information gathered shows there was one factor whose extent could not be adequately assessed from a technical perspective: the poor condition of installations in some homes. In many cases, the problems involve worn wiring, faulty connections, or similar issues that produce a very weak reception signal inside the home. From the outset, the responsible government department, the Department of Electronic Communications, has remained in constant contact with Hellas Sat, the newly licensed network provider, to assess the information and carry out all possible technical interventions to assist people who continue to experience problems. However, I would like to point out the following: the previous platform’s 15-year licence expired and it became entirely clear that it was unable to continue providing the service. During those 15 years, there was effectively no substantial upgrade to the service. As a result, Cyprus became the last EU country still using the DVB-T standard, while home installations also went without upgrades for a very long time. The new licence was awarded through an open and transparent tender process that included public consultation. The aim was to secure a sustainable 15-year solution for consumers and television organisations, maintaining the best possible balance between service quality and cost. As a government, we inherited a situation in which the complete shutdown of terrestrial digital television was a visible possibility. We had to put in place a plan ensuring that Cypriot citizens could enjoy the same quality of service over time as every other European citizen. To ensure that the market can continue to provide free television in the coming years, technological progress must be protected, particularly as terrestrial digital television faces growing competition from cable and online television. To give people more time to take the necessary action, whether by returning their television sets, obtaining a compatible set-top box, or improving their home reception installations, we decided to restore parallel broadcasting via the Velister platform for three months. I want to thank Velister and Hellas Sat for their response. We therefore call on all consumers to use this period so that, at the end of the three months, they can receive the new and upgraded digital television service without interruption. 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