Brazil has officially embraced the DTV+ system, a cutting-edge broadcasting standard built upon ATSC 3.0. This follows a Presidential Decree signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, solidifying DTV+ as Brazil's future television format.
This adoption represents a pivotal moment in the Americas' shift towards advanced broadcasting technologies. Experimental DTV+ broadcasts are already underway in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, with a Brasília station launch planned later this year. A complete commercial launch is anticipated before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Developed by ATSC™ (The Broadcast Standards Association), ATSC 3.0 forms the foundation of DTV+, encompassing Physical and Transport, Video, Audio, Captioning, and Emergency Warning systems. The announcement arrives a week after SET Expo, Latin America's premier broadcasting and media event. “Brazil’s decision is further testimony that the international ATSC 3.0 standard is state-of-the-art,” said Madeleine Noland, President of ATSC. “It underscores the flexibility of the technology to meet the needs of a large and diverse country where terrestrial TV remains the dominant viewing platform.”
Approximately 80% of Brazil’s population utilizes terrestrial broadcasting, making the transition to DTV+ essential for modernizing the nation's media infrastructure. ATSC Vice President of Standards Development Luiz Fausto, instrumental in testing the new standard, highlighted the significance of this decision: “Broadcasters throughout Brazil take seriously how best to reach nearly 200 million viewers. This decree is the result of a rigorous evaluation process to select the ‘best of the best.’ ”
Formerly known as TV 3.0, the DTV+ system integrates numerous aspects of ATSC 3.0, already implemented in the United States for NEXTGEN TV and in South Korea for UHD broadcasting. Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago have also adopted the standard, and it's currently under consideration in Canada, India, and Mexico.