SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a memorandum circular after getting Malacañang’s nod to begin the groundwork for the country’s shift from analog to digital television (TV) using the Japanese standard.
NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba signed the circular for “Standard for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Broadcast Service” on Tuesday, November 5. This prompted the formation of a technical working team in charge of crafting implementing rules and regulations (IRR) next month.
Presidential Communications secretary Sonny Coloma said in a press briefing on Tuesday that the issuance was approved in an October 29 public hearing.
Before drafting the circular, the NTC, the government’s economic team and the Department of Science and Technology (DOTC) consulted major stakeholders, including broadcast companies led by ABS-CBN Corporation and rival GMA Network Inc., the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), appliance makers and distributors, and various consumer groups.
Both the NTC and the DOST endorsed to Malacañang the adoption of Japan’s Integrated Service Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial or ISDB-T standard, which is cheaper than Europe’s Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial 2 or DVB-T2.
Coloma said that all the major broadcast companies present in the public hearing did not object to this.
“The Philippines, like 15 other countries, has chosen to adopt the integrated services digital broadcasting terrestrial system developed by Japan,” he said.
To support gov’t goals
The move to digital format will support the government’s zero-casualty goal during calamities, said Coloma.
He noted that NTC’s decision to pick the ISDB-T was guided by the knowledge that this technology has the features that will help the country prepare for calamities and avoid danger.
The Japanese digital TV system is compatible with mobile devices such as laptops, tablets, game consoles and the like.
It has a built-in early warning system through which users can receive advisories from the National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC). It is capable of sending warning quickly to 100 million mobile phones.
“These features are very much applicable to the Philippines as we have the same situation as Japan in terms of natural calamities,” Coloma stressed
“This development is most relevant to a country prone to natural calamities and will help increase our reaction and response to calamities,” Coloma added.
Cost to consumers
Major TV networks have spent billions of pesos in preparation for the shift to digital TV.
ABS-CBN shelled out P2 billion; GMA, almost P1 billion; and TV5, P500 million.
NTC regulations branch director Edgardo Cabarios said once the migration is implemented, consumers would have to pay almost P1,000 for a set-top box for TVs with analog tuners. This device will enable them to receive signal for the digital TV.
The technical working team is set to study the possibility of the cost of set-top box being subsidized.
The government earlier said that the shift to digital TV would take at least 5 years to complete. – Rappler.com
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