TelecomPaper: Philippine regulator sticks by ISDB-T adoption

The Philippine National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) claims the set-top boxes using the DVB-T2 standard are more expensive than the ISDB-T set-top boxes and that the decision for the ISDB-T standard is the right one. The regulator's technical working group said DVB-T2 set-top boxes are technically better but "commercially it's a different story," The Manila Times reports. Prices of DVB-T2 set-top boxes are around 58 percent higher than the ISDB-T set-top boxes. Adoption of the DVB standard and waiting for prices to fall would mean another long delay for digital TV, the regulator said. The regulator explained that ISDB-T was the best standard available when a decision had to be made in June last year. The NTC conducted a new review of standards amid a lobby by some broadcasting companies for another look at the DVB standard. "Immediate roll out capability and affordability of the [set top boxes] at present time confirms that it was and continues to be the right choice," the NTC said. The government is expected to issue implementing rules and regulations for digital TV in June as the country plans to migrate to digital TV in 2015. – dated 31 May 2011, 04:10 CET

Source: TelecomPaper