Following a green light from Gired, the institution leading the TV digitalisation process, Sao Paulo has become the second large city in Brazil, after the capital Brasilia, to switch off the analogue signal.

The decision was made after Gired checked that over 95% of Sao Paulo's homes were ready for the digital signal. According to Brazil's regulation, a minimum 90% of DTT-ready households have to be guaranteed before switching off analogue TV.

So, as scheduled, the 20 million-plus inhabitants of Sao Paulo's metropolitan area stopped getting the free-to-air (FTA) analogue signal by midnight on 29 March. According to Gired, the switch-off has affected the city of Sao Paulo and the areas of Arujá, Barueri, Biritiba Mirim, Caieiras, Cajamar, Carapicuíba, Cotia, Diadema, Embu, Embu-Guaçu, Ferraz de Vasconcelos, Francisco Morato, Franco da Rocha, Guararema, Guarulhos, Ibiúna, Itapecerica da Serra, Itapevi, Itaquaquecetuba, Jandira, Mairiporã, Mauá, Mogi das Cruzes, Osasco, Pirapora do Bom Jesus, Poá, Ribeirão Pires, Rio Grande da Serra, Salesópolis, Santa Isabel, Santana de Parnaíba, Santo André, São Bernardo do Campo, São Caetano do Sul, São Lourenço da Serra, Suzano, Taboão da Serra and Vargem Grande Paulista.

If the switchover goes as planned, by December 2018 Brazil will become Latin America's third country to switch off the analogue signal after Mexico and Costa Rica, whose switch-off is scheduled for the end of 2017.