More than 1.8 million Spaniards (around 4% of the population) could lose DTT services after the country’s digital switchover is completed on 1st January. People living in areas that are traditionally difficult to distribute to, such as rural villages, may be out of range of signals, unless regional governments extend the signal range – although this would have a cost. It is believed that the government may have to extend the simulcast period to avoid a blackout.