GMA network sees availability of DTT by H1 2017

MANILA, Philippines – GMA Network Inc. said its Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) product would be available within the first half of next year.

GMA chairman and CEO Felipe Gozon said the network is aiming to launch the DTT service within the first six months of next year.

At present, tests are being conducted for the DTT service.

Gozon said the DTT service would be made available first in Mega Manila.

“Mega Manila first, then to be followed by Cebu and Davao,” he said.

GMA is investing an initial amount of P416 million for the DTT service.

Gozon said GMA’s DTT service would likely be priced higher compared to rival ABS-CBN Corp.’s DTT product TVplus.

This, as he said GMA’s DTT product has more features.

GMA’s DTT device can enable digital broadcast on analog TV.

It could also turn the unit into a smart TV by allowing users to play on-demand content and run other applications.

For the new service, GMA is adapting the Japanese Digital TV standard or ISDB-T, to comply with the rules and regulations of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

In December 2014, NTC issued guidelines for the shift to DTT from analog, to enable the country’s broadcast industry to become competitive.

Asked about the DTT product’s impact on GMA’s bottomline, Gozon said it is still too early to talk about the effect, but noted there would be opportunities to sell minutes to advertisers on channels provided by the service.

GMA is expected to end this year with net earnings of more than P3.5 billion.