HDTV: Germany at Center of Growing Industry

Berlin (ots) - Every year 30 million HD-ready (high definition)
televisions are sold in the European Union (EU). The European HDTV
market will be the focus of the trade fair "HD-TV across Europe?
taking place October 14-15, 2008 in Berlin, Germany. Invest in
Germany, the country?s inward investment promotion agency, will be
present to outline the many benefits of Germany as both a
manufacturing and service location.

The European Union has set the year 2012 as the deadline for all
European television stations to transfer from analogue to digital
broadcasting. Germany has chosen 2010 as the year for its public
broadcasters to transmit programs in HD. Already 5.3 million flat
screen TVs are expected to be sold in Germany this year; 95 percent
of these televisions are HD-ready. The number is expected to increase
further once most broadcasters begin HD transmission. Total revenue
from HD-ready television already has hit 25 billion EUR in the EU.

Eastern European countries, though not yet switched over to HD,
should make the move seamlessly as the pre-existing analogue
infrastructure is minimal in these states, facilitating the change to
an HD infrastructure. These conditions make Germany both a growing
market for HD products and put it on the doorstep to a market that is
soon to blossom. The "HD-TV across Europe? congress will have an
array of international speakers describing the investment landscape
in Europe for HD televisions and technologies.

Both Europe?s and Germany?s move to HD will allow Germany to
assert its position as a market leader, one that it has held for
years in information and communications technologies (ICT). Germany
is Europe?s number one market for ICT, having obtained a 21 percent
market share and having earned 146 billion EUR in revenue in 2007.

Invest in Germany will have an information stand at "HD-TV across
Europe.? The conference is being organized by Bitkom, the German
association of information technology, telecommunication, consumer
electronics and new media, and its British counterpart Intellect.

Journalists are welcome to attend "HD-TV across Europe.? To
register please contact Michael Schidlack at m.schidlack@bitkom.org

Invest in Germany is the inward investment promotion agency of the
Federal Republic of Germany. It provides investors with comprehensive
support from site selection to the implementation of investment
decisions.

Originaltext: Invest in Germany
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Pressekontakt:
Media Contact:
Eva Henkel Invest in Germany
Phone: +49-30-200099-173
Fax: +49-30-200099-111
Email: Henkel@invest-in-germany.com