The television signal in Cuba faced an hour-long blackout on Sunday night during the airing of the police series "Tras la Huella." The incident did not impact radio broadcasts.
"Users from various provinces across Cuba reported the outage of both digital and analog signals during the broadcast of the television program 'Tras la Huella'. High-definition (HD) channels were not affected. Radio services remain operational without any issues," stated the state-run media outlet Cubadebate.
The blackout was attributed to "technical problems" that were not further explained by the authorities, resulting in a 59-minute interruption of television signals.
"Technicians from Radiocuba and other specialists are working to resolve the interruption at a headend," said Ariadne Plasencia, president of the Grupo Empresarial de la Informática y las Comunicaciones, on her social media.
According to Radiocuba, the disruption was caused by malfunctions in technical equipment related to the television signal transmission process.
The standard digital terrestrial television signal was eventually restored after an hour. HD digital television services remained uninterrupted, as did analog television services, explained the responsible company, which offered "apologies for the inconvenience caused."
In July 2023, Cuban authorities announced to deputies of the National Assembly of People's Power (ANPP) that the country would shut down analog television nationwide by 2026.
Transition to Digital TV in Cuba
The transition from analog to digital television in the central region is scheduled for this year, while the eastern region will make the switch in 2025, with a full shutdown planned for 2026, according to Minister of Communications Mayra Arevich Marín.
In September 2021, the Cuban government announced that the analog blackout in the western region, from Pinar del Río to Matanzas, would begin three months later. However, unexplained reasons delayed it to March 2022.
The process was further postponed to September and then to December 3, 2023.
Key Questions About Cuba's TV Signal Blackout
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding the recent blackout of television signals in Cuba and the upcoming transition to digital broadcasting.
What caused the television signal blackout in Cuba?
The blackout was caused by technical problems, specifically malfunctions in equipment related to the television signal transmission process.
Were any services not affected by the blackout?
High-definition (HD) channels and radio services were not affected by the blackout.
When will Cuba complete the transition to digital television?
Cuba plans to complete the transition to digital television by 2026, with specific regions making the switch earlier.