A new format in Philippine television broadcasting is set to be implemented in 2023 with the launch of the Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting (DTTB) Migration Plan, or the switch from the conventional analog to digital broadcasting system in the next four to six years, and the eventual switch off of analog transmission.
Spearheaded by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), along with other government agencies and broadcasting networks, the migration plan is set to bring new dimensions to the broadcasting experience of the Filipinos. The DTTB Migration Plan is a comprehensive document to address policy, regulatory, and technical issues involved in the country’s migration to digital TV.
DTTB is an implementation of digital technology in television service intended to provide viewers with a greater number of standard definition TV channels and better quality video and audio signals.
DICT Secretary Rodolfo Salalima claims DTTB provides a competitive ecosystem for broadcasters to offer new services, empower citizens through information and make use of the allocated frequencies and spectrum efficiently. It also provides localized information for efficient dissemination and timely decision making including alerts and advices in times of emergencies and calamities.
The implementation of the DTTB Migration Plan shall ensure the reception of digital TV broadcast nationwide taking into consideration the financial assistance and needs of the vulnerable sector of the society, and guarantees universal access and reception of information.
DICT seeks to align the development plans and programs with the needs of the Filipino people. It has said that no one shall be left behind in the transition to digital. The migration project aims to have 95% of the country’s TV household shift to digital terrestrial TV broadcasting technology by 2023. If this threshold has been reached, the remaining five percent who cannot afford to buy televisions will be incentivized by giving loan facility so they can adopt digital TV.
The country has officially adopted Japan’s Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T), which has early warning broadcast system, as the sole standard in the delivery of Digital Terrestrial TV services. The Japanese technology has been chosen over its European counterpart because of its functions and cost considerations.
Shigeki Suzuki, Vice Minister for Policy Coordination at the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Japan, said their digital TV system has more functions including the emergency warning broadcast system, and they support about 20 countries which have adopted their digital TV system.
Edgardo Cabarios, Deputy Commissioner at the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), said with the transition, the local broadcast industry will be at par with the world’s digital TV system. He also said that it is time to bring dimension to broadcasting experience in the Philippines.
Among broadcast networks, ABS-CBN said it has already unveiled its digital TV in 2015. GMA Networks, on the other hand, said it will start its digital terrestrial TV broadcast this year.
