It was later called a logical channel number (LCN) and used for private European Digital Video Broadcasting extensions widely used by the NDS Group and by NorDig in other markets.
All these methods share the principle of not allowing any viewer reordering as could be achieved under analog and generic digital systems.
Television there is more centralized than in other ATSC countries—three of the four national commercial networks brand their Mexico City channel numbers.
New entrants such as Grupo Imagen were almost universally on UHF, and would be disadvantaged by higher virtual channels than stations that began on VHF.
The IFT also awarded common numbers to 14 regional networks (primarily operated by state governments) and virtual channels to nearly 100 local stations.
The largest exception to standardization is on the US-Mexico border, where due to the presence of US stations on desired virtual channels and objections from the US Federal Communications Commission.
Allocation of logical channel numbers is governed by guidelines set by the commercial broadcasters' association, Free TV Australia.
[6][7] These are defined within the terrestrial broadcast stream using the NorDig descriptor format within the DVB Network Information Table.
Generally, but not always, the single-digit LCN is allocated to the primary SD service (Network 10's high definition-channel 10 HD is the main exception).
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Freeview channel numbers are defined within the terrestrial broadcast stream using the NorDig descriptor format within the DVB "Network Information Table".
[11] Remote control ID allocations for broadcasters outside the Kanto region generally follow their Tokyo-based network flagships; however, some stations in some prefectures deviate from this.
SKY Network Television define their own channel numbering which uses a similar NDS encoded format.
They wholesale their channels to the only other local pay TV operator Vodafone and to the short lived Telecom First Media.
Freeview LCNs are encoded within a terrestrial broadcast stream using the NorDig descriptor format within the DVB Network Information Table.
And within the two satellite broadcast streams also using the NorDig descriptor format, but is instead within the DVB Bouquet Association Table (BAT).
In 2010, the National Telecommunications Commission adopted ISDB-T. LCN used in ISDB-T was pre-assigned to the currently operating networks in digital TV.
LCN is given by the Directorate General of Post and Telecommunications (Dirjen Postel) Kemenkominfo RI to television stations that are tenants of multiplexing channels.
Television stations can apply for changes to their LCN numbers, but must meet the requirements of the Director General of Post and Telecommunication.
[14] The following are the virtual channel numbers (generally the same in various regions despite different frequencies, sometimes each regional or transmission station has a different numbering configuration from the main network): In terrestrial digital television reception, because the reception position is close to other areas, sometimes two or more channels host the same TV station.
IBOC system (Digital Radio Mondiale) stations do not currently use any virtual channels because of the limited bandwidth available in analog sidebands.