ABS-CBN News: Full migration to digital TV completed in 10 years–NTC

MANILA, Philippines - Full migration to digital television in the country will take place 10 years from now, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has said. 

“Another bold stride the NTC has taken this year was to commence the transition of the broadcast industry from analog to digital. The NTC estimates full migration from analog to digital tv technology within the next 5-10 years,” the regulator said in its yearend report. 

The NTC has now been given the go-ahead by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) to convene a technical working group for the purpose of drafting the Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR) for digital TV. The TWG will be composed of members from the broadcast industry and other stakeholders such as the government, suppliers and consumers. 

In June of this year, the NTC dumped the European standard for digital television in favor of Japan’s Integrated Services Digital Broadcast (ISDB) technology as the standard for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) broadcast service. But this can’t be fully implemented yet without the IRR. The NTC should first convene a TWG to craft the IRR and frequency planning for the implementation of the ISDB technology. 

“An overwhelming consensus and endorsement among the various industry stakeholders was submitted to the Commission which bore Memorandum Circular 02-06-2010 on ‘Standard for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Broadcast Service’ adopting the ISDB-T platform,” said the NTC. 

When DTT technology is enforced in the country, there is a need to switch off all analog TV handsets. The switch-off would render all nondigital TV sets obsolete unless connected to an external off-the-air tuner, or a satellite system.

The government is looking at delaying the compulsory transition of all analog television service providers to digital TV and for the termination of all analog TV broadcast transmissions from an earlier target set at the end of year 2015. 

The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) has an interest in the formulation of the IRR and the frequency planning as these will have immediate, medium- and long-term effects on the operation of its members. 

“Our members have already been preparing for the migration to digital TV. Capital expenditures have been budgeted and to a certain degree outlaid, notwithstanding uncertainties due to the absence of an IRR and frequency plan,” it has said. - Lenie Lectura, Business Mirror, dated 29 December 2010, 11:45 PM

Source: ABS-CBN News 

ABS-CBN News: Philippine, Japan governments to ink digital TV accord

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines and Japanese governments are working on signing a memorandum of cooperation following the decision to tap the latter’s Integrated Services Digital Broadcast technology as the country’s standard for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) broadcast service.  

Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) chairman Ivan Uy said Japan is willing to train Filipino engineers in this field. 

This, he said, is contained in the draft memorandum which is currently being circulated for comments. “The memo is circulating among different departments. We need to get comments from everybody whether on the KBP [Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster ng Pilipinas] side or the Department of Foreign Affair whether it would affect any of our international agreements or commitment,” said Uy, who added, “Once everybody has given their comment, then we will sit down.” 

If approved, Uy said Filipino engineers who will be trained by Japanese experts who can then be tapped by other countries that are also going to adapt the Japanese standard for digital TV.

“Eventually, we would be like a big brother to other countries. We can export our engineers to teach other countries.” 

The Japanese government is also being requested by the Philippines to subsidize the cost of set-top boxes. These boxes are necessary so that the Filipinos can watch digital broadcast programs once the shift from analog to digital system is implemented. 

“The Japanese government will invest in a set-top box factory in the Philippines. But we are also asking them to subsidize the boxes because we don’t have the funds for that,” added Uy. 

When DTT technology is enforced in the country there is a need to switch off all analog TV handsets. The switch-off would render all non-digital TV sets obsolete unless connected to an external off-the-air tuner, or a satellite system.

The government is looking at delaying the compulsory transition of all analog television service providers to digital TV and for the termination of all analog TV broadcast transmissions from an earlier target set at the end of year 2015. 

The National Telecommunications Commission was already given the go-ahead by the CICT to form a Technical Working Group (TWG) for the purpose of drafting the Implementing Rules and Regulation for digital television. 

The TWG will be composed of members from the broadcast industry and stakeholders such as the government, suppliers and consumers. - Lenie Lectura, Business Mirror, dated 28 December 2010, 12:36 AM

Source: ABS-CBN News

Newsbytes: GMA-7 may spend P600M for digital TV transition

With the government-mandated ruling that television stations should shift to digital transmission by 2015, broadcast giant GMA-7 has revealed that it may spend P300 to P600 million for its move to digital TV.

The TV station made the pronouncement in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) where it also divulged that it is unlikely to reach its P3-billion income target for 2010 because of a weak fourth quarter as compared with the same period last year which was buoyed by election campaign ads.

“While the company’s 4Q 2010 performance was good, 4Q 2009 was better due to the presence of advocacy ads. Thus, the company may not be able to hit its P3 billion net income target for 2010. Channel 7’s gross airtime revenues would settle roughly at P12 billion for the whole year,” the company said.

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has formally directed television firms to start migrating to digital TV after picking early this year a Japanese digital TV standard. - dated 21 December 2010, 11:52 AM.

Source: Newsbytes Philippines

Inquirer: NTC slammed over digital TV decision

MANILA, Philippines—The National Telecommunications Commission’s last-minute decision in choosing Japanese DTV standards for use in the Philippines has raised the eyebrows of several broadcast-sector stakeholders.

Last June, just three weeks before the end of the Arroyo administration, the commission decided that the best system for the Philippines would be the Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting digital terrestrial television standard, a broadcast platform developed in Japan.

This beat the Digital Video Broadcasting platform developed in Europe.

Digital TV technology will give users more channels and improve the quality of service. The shift will also free up some frequencies that may be allocated for wireless broadband Internet.

The International Telecommunications Union has given the Philippines until 2015 to complete the shift to digital TV technology, replacing the analog broadcast systems used by television stations today.

Some industry players have expressed their concern over the regulator’s move to junk the European standard for digital television, which is said to be more cost-effective and widely used around the world.

A source privy to the proceedings said the timing of the NTC decision appeared dubious because it was made just a few weeks before President Aquino assumed power.

But NTC Deputy Commissioner Douglas Michael Mallillin said the Japanese standard won over the European version due to the lower price of set-top boxes.

“Everyone in the industry has supported our choice,” Mallillin said. “Technically, there’s no issue.”

Japan also offered a “sweetener”—the establishment of a manufacturing facility in the Philippines—to persuade the government to adopt the Japanese standard, he added.

So far, no Philippine company has committed to this standard. - Paolo Montecillo, dated 13 December 2010, 11:51 PM.

Source: Inquirer

DiBEG: Demonstration in the KBP Top Level Management Conference in the Philippines

On November 25-26, 2010, the KBP (the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, the Association of Broadcasters of the Philippines) held its annual Top Level Management Conference and General Membership meeting in Taal Vista Hotel, Tagaytay City, Philippines.

This occassion was attended by the key executives of the various TV & Radio Networks in the Philippines with the participation of various equipment vendors, industry supporters, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan, key government officials of the Philippines consisting of the representatives from the National Telecommunications Commission and the Commission on Information and Technology.

 

Commissioner Cordoba and Deputy Commissioner Fortes in the Middle		KBP President Herman Basbano and KBP Chairman Rupert Nicdao

During the conference, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan and the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses made an exhibition booth in cooperation with ACCESS Co. Ltd., Leader Electronics Corp., Maspro Denkoh Corp., Sharp Corporation, Toshiba Corporation, Smart networks and Kami Electronics Industries Co. Ltd. showcasing variety of ISDB-T products.

In addition, the live transmission from Manila and reception inside the hall of Taal Vista Hotel of an ISDB-T signal was demonstrated which has gained admiration from the delegates in terms of its quality and robustness despite the limited transmitter power being emitted 60 Kilometers away.

During the sessions, Mr. Gamaliel A. Cordova, the Commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission made a speech summarizing the past discussion including the issue of the Memorandum Circular adopting the Japanese ISDB-T as the digital TV standard for the Philippines, and high ling the upcoming decision making process including the Technical Working Group 3 to define the Implementing Rules and Regulations for the Digital Terrestrial Television roll-out in the Philippines.

Also, Mr. Toshiyuki Yokota, the Director General for International Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs wished for the success of the Philippine broadcasters in their pursuit of excellence. - dated 28 November 2010

 Source: DiBEG