European broadcast standard recommended for Philippines

Written by Lenie Lectura / Reporter BusinessMirror, MONDAY, 16 MARCH 2009 22:15 

THE second technical working group (TWG) tasked to pick a Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) technology standard for the country has recommended to adopt Europe’s Digital Video Broadcast Handheld or DVB-H platform. 

This reiterates the recommendation made by the first TWG—whose members include the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, Philippine Information Agency and 48 broadcasting firms—in 2006. That group also said the European standard should be adopted for Philippine use. 

When a new commissioner stepped in a year later, a second TWG was formed and its membership was expanded to include the National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Trade and Industry, Commission on Information and Communications Technology, and the Department of Science and Technology. 

The new group was tasked to assist the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) in crafting the rules and regulations that will govern the conduct of implementation of DTT technology in the country. The group’s recommendation will then be the basis of the rules governing the use of a preferred DTT technology. The new group was also tasked to make a new report to include the socioeconomic impact of such migration to the consumers. 

During a cable convention, NTC Deputy Commissioner Jorge Sarmiento said the new group conducted actual demonstration tests for the European standard and Japan’s  Integrated Services Digital Broadcast standard.  It, however, failed to test America’s Advanced Television Systems Committee standard due to technical problems. 

“The DVB-H is the recommended standard by the second TWG. The price of set-top boxes is the primary consideration in the choice of DTT standard,” said Sarmiento. 

He said the group also conducted a comparative analysis study on the adoption of either a “single standard” or an “open standard” policy, including the socioeconomic aspects of such migration, comments from the broadcasting operators and the cost of the digital boxes. 

But the recommendation has yet to be approved by the NTC. “The commission is in the process of studying and deliberating on the different DTT standards that would be chosen for adoption in the country. When approved, the target date of the full implementation would be at the end of 2015,” said Sarmiento. 

He added the NTC may move further the December 31, 2015, target date for the mandatory shifting of all analog broadcast to DTT technology. 

“The technical working group, which includes the NTC, is still not yet sure whether or not to implement on the scheduled date or postpone the 2015 deadline given the socioeconomic impact of the implementation,” he said. 

Sarmiento said the cost of digital boxes range from $20 to $30 each.  “It is really cheaper if we were to adopt the European standard,” he added. 

When DTT is implemented, there is a need for the switch-off, which, Sarmiento said, can be implemented at once or by phases. The switch-off would render all nondigital TV sets obsolete unless connected to an external off-the-air tuner, or a satellite system. An external converter box can be added to nondigital TV to lengthen its useful lifespan. 

“The idea of a switch-off has, so far, been met with little opposition from consumers or manufacturers from other countries,” he said.   

Countries belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) have endorsed the DVB-H standard for Asean common digital TV broadcasting standard during the ninth conference of the Asean Ministers Responsible for Information held in Jakarta, Indonesia. 

During the recent 6th Asean Digital Broadcasting meeting held in Singapore, Asean agreed on a common set of technical specification for standard definition and high-definition (HD) digital set-top boxes for Asean member-countries. 

This would mean that Asean countries that have adopted or are planning to adopt DVB-H technology will also have to roll out a standard set-top box that consumers will need to receive digital TV signal. 

They also agreed on the establishment of an Asean HD Center, which will provide training on HD productions and facilitate HD coproductions within the region. 

In the Philippines, the NTC has received DTT applications from GV Broadcasting Systems Inc., ABS-CBN, GMA Network Inc., Associated Broadcasting Corp., National Broadcasting Corp. and Christian Era Broadcasting to offer digital TV service. 

Digital TV technology allows multi-transmission of programming content all at once through one terminal, may it be a TV or handheld units such as mobile phones, laptops or personal digital assistants.