NTC sees complete shift to digital TV to take five years

MANILA, Philippines - The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) said the country’s complete migration to digital terrestrial television (TV) would take at least five years as it pursues the adoption of the cheaper Japanese standard over the European system.

NTC commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said it would take that long to phase out the analog system after the government decides to implement the much delayed shift to digital format.

Cordoba said the NTC has already conducted a series of consultations with major stakeholders including broadcast companies led by ABS-CBN Corp. and rival GMA Network Inc., the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), appliance makers and distributors, and various consumer groups.

He pointed out that the regulator is prepared to issue the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) on the adoption of the new digital terrestrial TV.

Both the NTC and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) have endorsed to Malacañang the adoption of Japan’s Integrated Service Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial or ISDB-T standard over Europe’s Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial 2 or DVB-T2.

“When we reach a final decision that is when we put up the IRR. We are just awaiting the final decision on that. The NTC and the DOST both recommended the Japanese digital technology,” Cordoba said.

Cordoba pointed out that both NTC and DOTC chose the Japanese standard because it is cheaper than European technology.

He said the Japanese standard also has integrated early warning mechanism in times of natural disasters such as tsunami, typhoon, earthquakes, among others unlike the European technology.

According to him, the mobile phones that could receive Japanese digital broadcast are worth $32 while phones that could function using the European digital broadcast technology is valued between $400 to $600 per unit.

On the other hand, equipment or “dongles” that could be used to receive the Japanese technology is priced at $11 compared to units that could receive European technology worth between $30 and $40.

“Japanese has mobile transmission and early warning and is cheaper while the European technology is not commercially available,” Cordoba said.