Spanish public broadcaster RTVE will launch its second Ultra High Definition channel on digital terrestrial television on November 5, with national network La 2 expected to occupy the new broadcast signal.
The arrival of the new Ultra High Definition signal coincides with a major national reorganization of Spain's digital terrestrial television network, known locally as TDT, as well as the nationwide launch of La Séptima, a new commercial channel.
Although Corporación de Radio y Televisión Española has not yet officially announced the addition, statements by RTVE president José Pablo López place the national version of La 2 inside RGE2. That broadcast multiplex is designated to begin using advanced DVB-T2 transmission technology specifically tailored for Ultra High Definition broadcasts.
Technical details and multiplex capacity
Under the planned capacity distribution for the RGE2 multiplex, state broadcaster RTVE will control half of the total transmission bandwidth. Private broadcasting groups Atresmedia and Mediaset España will each hold a one-quarter share of the multiplex capacity for their respective television channels.
Radiotelevisión Española operates as Spain's state-owned public broadcaster, managing flagship network La 1 alongside cultural channel La 2. Ultra High Definition broadcasting delivers 4K visual resolution with improved picture clarity, utilizing the DVB-T2 digital standard to transmit higher data volumes across digital terrestrial frequencies.
Regional broadcasts and Catalonian agreement
The technical restructuring will also allow La 2 Cat, the regional variant of the network broadcast in Catalonia, to secure its own dedicated high-definition signal. López explained that RTVE has virtually finalized an agreement with the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Catalan regional government, enabling La 2 Cat to broadcast in high definition on the Catalan regional multiplex starting November 5.
Through this arrangement, television viewers across Catalonia will be able to receive the Catalan-language La 2 Cat channel independently in high definition, while also accessing the national version of La 2 in Ultra High Definition through the RGE2 multiplex.
Broader changes across Spanish television
The nationwide digital terrestrial reorganization will extend beyond public television networks. Major private media groups Atresmedia, which operates channels including Antena 3, and Mediaset España, which operates Telecinco, will transfer their high-definition channels to alternative multiplexes. Meanwhile, newcomer network La Séptima will occupy space on the MPE5 multiplex frequency.
Because of the widespread reallocation of broadcast frequencies across multiple multiplexes, numerous households throughout Spain will be required to retune their television sets to continue receiving all updated signals correctly after the November 5 transition.
