MANILA — The Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) will launch the Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting (DTTB) Migration Plan in a two-day Digital TV Summit to be held at Novotel Manila, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City from February 14 to 15, 2017.
The DICT’s DTTB Migration Plan consists of comprehensive policies and regulations as well as technical and financial considerations that are essential for the Philippine’s migration to digital TV broadcasting.
The plan will help ensure seamless transition from analog to digital that will further lead to a complete Analog Switch Off (ASO).
This shall be done through partnership with national government agencies such as the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for implementation and regulation, the Department of Finance (DOF) for funding, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for giving incentives to small scale broadcasters, the Department of Environment and National Resources (DENR) for e-waste management, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for economic impact, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for financial subsidy in purchasing digital set top boxes.
DICT Secretary Rodolfo Salalima said the switch to digital transmission will not only pave the way for a better TV viewing experience for Filipinos but will also ensure a more efficient and richer information dissemination in times of calamities.
It has an Emergency Warning Broadcast System (EWBS) feature that allows the system to send early warnings for disaster preparedness and disseminate advisories and guidance on evacuation, food provisions, and medical assistance in times of disasters.
Furthermore, migrating to digital from analog will free very high frequencies (VHF) that can be maximized for future broadband deployment for Internet.
It will also foster a competitive environment for the broadcasters to offer new services through datacasting and Broadcast Markup Language (BML).
“A better Philippines in terms of broadcasting can only be achieved when there is collaboration among the government, its stakeholders, civil organizations, and private industries,” according to Salalima.
The first day of the Digital TV Summit is dedicated for the launching of the DTTB Migration Plan and the Ceremonial Digital TV Switch On. Partners from the broadcast industry are expected to grace the event to express their support and commitment in the comprehensive national implementation of the DTTB Migration Plan.
Moreover, exhibitors from different segments of the broadcast sectors (production, manufacturing, and content) will showcase emerging trends in Digital TV to educate the public on the latest Digital TV technology available in the market.
On the second day of the summit, experts from local and international broadcast firms will exchange best practices and knowledge regarding the current trends in the production, transmission, policy, and regulations that concern the transition from analog to Digital TV. PNA-northboundasia.com