Philippine TV enters full digital era

Analog Switches off

MANILA, Philippines — A historic chapter in Philippine TV begins its conclusion this November as the country’s broadcasting networks commence the gradual switch-off of the analog TV service in favor of the Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcast (DTTB).

The landmark Analog Switch Off or ASO for Mega Manila will happen this November 2026 after more than 70 years of television broadcasting in the Philippines, marking a significant technological transition in the country’s broadcast history.

For generations, analog television was more than a technology for Filipino families. It was the window through which they watched historic events, news, sports, public affairs, entertainment, movies and the programs that became part of their daily lives. That familiar analog signal is now signing off and making way for the digital period.

The migration from Analog TV to DTTB will usher in a new era of a free-to-air broadcasting that provides clearer pictures, improved reception, expanded channel capacity and digital broadcast services.

It will enable the Philippines to keep pace with world’s technological development, support the competitiveness of the TV broadcast industry and allow it to provide enhanced services to the viewing public.

The National Telecommunications Commission is recommending the Analog TV users to acquire a digital TV-ready receiver or smart TV or set-top box (STB) to receive digital television (DTV) signals.

For those who have an analog TV receiver, an appropriate STB can be connected to the existing television to enable reception of digital broadcasts. All subscribers who pay TV service Cable Antenna Television; Direct-to-Home (DTH)/Direct-to-Use (DTU) etc., will not be affected by the ASO.

This milestone follows the NTC Memorandum Circular 05-11-2013, issued on Nov. 4, 2013, adopting the Integrated Service Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial, a Japanese DTTB standard.  With DTTB, each 6 MHz channel can accommodate multiple digital television programs, depending on the transmission configuration and video quality.

Under appropriate configurations, a channel may carry up to six standard-definition programs or one high-definition program.

ASO is the mandatory shutting down or termination of analog terrestrial TV transmission and switching over to digital TV. It shall be implemented by phases and Mega Manila has been identified as the pilot area (Phase 1) since it has approximately 80 percent of TV households already receiving digital TV broadcast. Mega Manila is composed of all cities and municipalities in the National Capital Region, the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite and portions of Pampanga, Laguna, Bataan and Rizal that are covered by Metro Manila TV broadcast signals.

The NTC Memorandum Circular 005-11-2025: “Guidelines for the Switch-Off of the Analog TV Service in Mega Manila,” was issued on Nov. 6, 2025 and took effect on Nov. 22, 2025.