Brazil adopts IP-based over-the-air TV, becoming the biggest country to do so
By Deborah D McAdams
Brazil is not the first country to adopt internet-protocol over-the-air television. It’s just the biggest, and the most likely to have an impact felt across the Western Hemisphere. The form that over-the-air (OTA) broadcast television will take in Brazil —known as ATSC 3.0 — represents a full departure from the early 2000s digital phase that resembled analog TV, but with more resolution.
Back then, the potential of IP-based digital media was not clear. YouTube was cat videos. Netflix mailed out DVDs. Twenty years later, they are streaming juggernauts while broadcast TV has become passé, at least in the United States. Still, it remains the sole nationwide platform that supports 100 million-plus people watching the same thing live.
With its decision to adopt ATSC 3.0, Brazil could bring about a broadcasting renaissance. While Brazil is not the perfect analogue of the U..or vice versa, the parallels are enough to make it a significant model.
With this in mind, a small group of US observers and stakeholders recently spoke with Raymundo Barros, director of Strategy and Technology at Globo, Brazil’s largest media company as well as its largest broadcaster; and president of Brazil’s broadcast standards body, the Fórum do Sistema Brasileiro de TV Digital Terrestre (Fórum SBTVD).
Barros is at the forefront of Brazil’s historic conversion to IP-based over-the-air television — in time for the 2026 World Cup, no less. Via emails and Zoom, he shared Brazil’s vision, its motivation and its strategy for rolling out nationwide, non-backward-compatible, broadcast TV for more than 70 million over-the-air households. We spoke about how Brazil and the US compare, the timing of their decision, the consumer-facing platform, rollout logistics, North American implications and what’s to come.
How Brazil And The US Compare
US: Brazil is such a compelling model for the United States. We’re comparable in area and population, but broadcasting has far more marketshare in Brazil than it does in the US.
Raymundo Barros: Yes, broadcasting holds a strong market share in Brazil largely because it remains the primary source of television for many regions, especially in remote and rural areas. While urban centers have broader access to broadband and subscription-based services, large parts of Brazil rely exclusively on over-the-air OTA broadcasting.
This is due in part to the country’s expansive geography and socioeconomic factors that make it challenging to deploy infrastructure in less populated areas. Broadcasting’s reach ensures equitable access to information, education, and entertainment nationwide, reinforcing its importance.
Receivers
US: US broadcasters cover about 75 per cent of the United States with ATSC 3.0 signals, but receivers aren’t nearly as widespread. Brazil tied the transmission and receiver standards-development process together. How did that work?
R.B.: We launched the Fórum 18 years ago when we started standardizing TV 2.0, digital terrestrial broadcasting. The government is part of the Fórum — the Ministry of Communications and Anatel [Brazil’s version of the Federal Communications Commission]. They don’t vote, but they orchestrate how the Fórum operates. At that time, they decided the Fórum would be a private entity with the participation of broadcasters and the receiver industry, each with four votes; the transmitter industry and universities, each with two votes; and the software industry with one. It’s the same today.
Everybody normally agrees with the same decision. We are in alignment, but it took a lot more work this time. The stakes were broadcaster prominence; the “out-of-the-box” experience of the broadcast channels. As the chairman, I had to go to each commissioner on the Fórum to convince them of our vision, so we finalized all the technical standards for TV 3.0 receivers.
[The resulting 900-page standards document, which covers everything from transmission to reception, was sent to the government and the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards (ABNT), in late November, with publication expected next March and the final stroke of the president’s pen at the beginning of 2025.]
R.B.: This means that, in order to get the tax waivers and incentives the government gives TV set makers for their operations in the rainforest, they need to comply with these standards. In Brazil, TV manufacturers have their facilities in the rainforest area.
The government decided 30 years ago it would improve the economics and somehow preserve the rainforest. The cost to operate in the rainforest is high because of logistics, so the government gives them enough of a tax incentive to make a 32-inch TV in Brazil cost as much as a Google TV dongle [about US$40]. They also need to use a certain number of memory chips manufactured in Brazil, and to comply with TV standards. We expect the same policy will apply to TV 3.0.
Antennas
Our goal was to have the antenna built into the TV set, pretty much like the cellphone. You know how many antennas we have in a device like that? WiFi, Bluetooth, 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 900 MHz, 12.5, 3.5 — more than six antennas. If they can put six antennas in a cellphone, can’t they get the antenna in a huge TV set?
However, in the process of trying to get to alignment on the standard, we also allowed the antenna to come inside the box [with the TV and not within the TV as initially proposed].
Public Awareness
US: As we mentioned above, ATSC 3.0-based TV is available in around 75% of the United States, but there is little public awareness of it.
R.B.: Consumer awareness is a top priority, which is why Brazil has introduced a brand and logo for TV 3.0, known as DTV+. This branding will make it easy for the public to recognize compatible services and devices, helping to drive awareness and adoption.
The DTV+ brand emphasizes the benefits of next-generation broadcasting and solidifies the identity of TV 3.0 as the future of over-the-air television in Brazil, signaling advanced features and an enhanced viewer experience.
Consumer Incentives
US: Given that legacy TVs will not receive TV 3.0, what will be the most compelling features to get people to buy a new TV set?
R.B.: Personalization. Our vision for TV 3.0 is to provide a deeply personalized experience that adapts to each viewer’s preferences, creating a viewing experience that is engaging and uniquely tailored, whether that means ultra-high-definition video, immersive audio, interactive social TV, or customized ads and content.
This level of experience management—where the entire viewing journey is managed and customized—represents a true evolution for Brazilian TV. TV 3.0 will bring together the ease of broadcast and the versatility of digital, creating a cohesive, personalized ecosystem that elevates television viewing beyond what traditional and streaming services offer today.
Regulatory
US: The US government has taken an indirect approach to IP-based OTA TV via ATSC 3.0. Brazil’s has been more proactive.
R.B.: I think the government here supports broadcasters and this process because everywhere in the world, the media is dominated by big tech. The only relevant media platform that is truly Brazilian, is broadcast — radios and TV. Those companies, by law, need to be controlled by Brazilians; native Brazilians. Which means, if broadcasters vanish from this ecosystem, those local governments will have to deal with big tech, and you have heard what happened with X in Brazil.
In Brazil, free television is considered a public service. We have access to the spectrum, but on the other hand, we have a lot of obligations in order to operate.
US: As of the end of November, there remains one more presidential decree necessary for deployment, correct?
R.B.: Yes. This is expected by the end of this year or by the beginning of 2025, and is a fundamental milestone in this developing process. This decree is anticipated to cover crucial aspects such as the prominence of over-the-air television in receiver interfaces, ensuring that broadcast content is easily accessible and prioritized on devices, as well as the rules for simulcast periods.
“We need to build a digital relationship with consumers while we still have the majority of viewership. Free-to-air is the mainstream media platform in Brazil.”
Raymundo Barros
While we await these guidelines, it is important to note that the regulatory framework will define the conditions broadcasters must meet, though the exact requirements are not yet confirmed. The ruling is expected soon, which will allow broadcasters like Globo to adjust their deployment strategies accordingly and ensure compliance.
Timing
Motivation
US: What’s driving your timeline?
R.B.: We need to build a digital relationship with consumers while we still have the majority of viewership. Free-to-air is the mainstream media platform in Brazil. Almost 60 per cent of media consumption time in the home is free-to-air television.
When you look at traditional DTV, it was only the physical layer we made digital. The relationship we’ve had with each customer is pretty much the same as it was in the ’50s. TV 3.0 is digitizing the relationship with customers and the advertising market — and of course we’re going to provide 4K, HDR, immersive sound and interactive applications.
It is a bold decision with great opportunities to move into the TV 3.0 ecosystem, but it is also a defensive move. Money is already moving from traditional advertising products to digital ones. Eventually, we won’t have enough revenue to keep sports rights, high-end quality production, etc., and then broadcast will decline in Brazil.
Target
US: A transition to a non-backward-compatible system will be disruptive. Brazilian broadcasters have nonetheless elected to adopt ATSC 3.0 and deploy it in time for the 2026 World Cup in 18 months.
R.B.: Adopting ATSC 3.0 as our physical layer represents a strategic choice to unlock the full potential of next-generation broadcasting. While this transition is indeed non-backward-compatible, we see it as a necessary step to achieve significant, long-term benefits for viewers.
In recent years, Brazil has explored incremental improvements through TV 2.5, which added enhanced interactivity and functionality while building on our existing infrastructure. However, with TV 3.0, we are targeting a more transformative approach that will bring viewers substantial gains in quality, interactivity, and service flexibility.
WC
The timing aligns with the 2026 World Cup, a high-profile event that allows us to showcase this technology on the world stage. Deploying ATSC 3.0 in time for the event positions Brazil as a leader in broadcast innovation, offering a world-class viewing experience that combines cutting-edge technology with the rich interactivity our audiences expect.
This shift demonstrates our commitment to future-proofing Brazil’s broadcasting infrastructure and elevating the experience for viewers nationwide.
Consumer-Facing Platform
World Cup
US:. Globo TV demonstrated some of the capabilities of ATSC 3.0 in a live broadcast from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar using its ISDB-T-based TV 2.5 architecture, including real-time multistandard compression, simultaneous 1080i and 1080p, and a live social channel. What did you learn and what’s new for 2026?
