These TV channels have disappeared from the air. This applies to three large cities
The broadcast of the MUX-BCAS test multiplex ended, which resulted in the disappearance of several TV channels in Warsaw, Gdańsk and Wrocław. See what channels have been disabled.
Residents of Warsaw, Gdańsk and Wrocław lost access to selected television channels due to the end of broadcasting of the test multiplex MUX-BCAS, managed by BCAST, a company owned by Cyfrowy Polsat. These changes also affected nearby towns.
Terrestrial television loses several channels
According to information from the virtualmedia.pl portal, the termination of the multiplex broadcast was the result of the decision of the Office of Electronic Communications (UKE), which admitted that there was no longer a need for further tests within this multiplex.
Test multiplexes such as MUX-BCAS were launched several years ago to help with the transition of digital terrestrial television to the modern DVB-T2 standard with the HEVC codec. Most broadcasters in Poland have already adapted their transmissions to this standard (except MUX-8), which makes further testing unnecessary.
Since September 28, 2024, as a result of the expiration of the broadcasting license for MUX-BCAST, residents of three cities have lost access to several channels. In Warsaw and Gdańsk you can no longer watch Stars.TV (HD), EWTN Polska (HD), TV Okazje (HD), Telewizja Media Narodowe (SD) and duplicate versions of Polsat, Nowa TV, Republika and wPolce24. In Wrocław, Stars.TV, EWTN Polska, TV Okazje and the TV Regionalna.pl (SD) channel disappeared.
Although Polsat disappeared from the test multiplex, it is still broadcast throughout Poland as part of MUX-2, which means that viewers using terrestrial television have not lost it. Nowa TV, Republika and wPolce24, which were available on MUX-BCAS, can still be watched on MUX-8, although in standard definition. However, changes are planned, because after obtaining consent from UKE, the eighth multiplex is to switch to the new DVB-T2/HEVC standard, which should improve image quality.
Changes in digital television
Witold Tomaszewski, acting spokesman for UKE, in a conversation with the media emphasized that the commercial broadcast of DVB-T2 has been operating for several months and that test permits are always temporary. He added that these permits are only intended to test new technical solutions, such as 5G Broadcast, and not to conduct permanent commercial transmission. The maximum period for which such permits are issued is one year, without the possibility of extension. Tomaszewski also noted that the new DVB-T2 standard has already been thoroughly tested in Poland, which makes test broadcasting unnecessary.
