PHL pushes through with adoption of Japanese digital TV standard

(Updated 5:02 p.m.) The Philippines will be pushing through with the adoption of the Japanese Integrated Service Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) standard when it migrates from analog to digital terrestrial television in 2015, Malacañang announced on Tuesday.

 

"The Philippines, like 15 other countries, has chosen to adopt the ISDB-T system developed by Japan. This will pave the way for digital broadcast in the entire country," Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio "Sonny" Coloma Jr. said during a press briefing.

 

Coloma said the switch from analog to digital is "one of the significant aspects of connectivity for regional integration that is envisioned to be fully attained by 2015 with the full fruition of the ASEAN economic community (AEC) integration." 

 

President Benigno Aquino III first mentioned his inclination to adopt ISDB-T during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Brunei last month.

 

After that, Coloma said the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) prepared a draft memorandum circular that was discussed in a public hearing last October 29.

 

"All major stakeholder groups signified their agreement to the adoption of the ISDB-T system," he said.

NTC Comm. Gamaliel Cordoba said they already sent out the memorandum circular for nationwide publication on Wednesday, with its effectivity date falling on November 21.

 

Coloma cited Aquino's opinion that the Philippines' choice is "anchored upon the [system's] built-in emergency alert system for mobile phones and television." 

 

"[The] adoption of this system is aligned with the government’s objective of zero casualties in times of calamities. More than 20 typhoons strike the Philippines every year. With six active faults, the country is situated within the Pacific Ring of Fire, thereby exposing the Filipino people to constant danger and adversity," he said.

 

Aquino had earlier cited the system's reliability during emergency broadcasts as proven during the 2011 Fukushima earthquake.

 

"Mapapakinabangan ito lalong-lalo na sa panahon ng kalamidad. Gaya ng naging karanasan sa bansang Hapon, agad na naipaalam sa mga mamamayan ang tsunami alert kasunod ng malakas na lindol sa North Eastern Japan noong Marso 2011," added Coloma.

 

The Palace assured, however, that the acquisition cost for acquiring a setup box compatible with existing television sets will be low.

 

Coloma also said the NTC, which has been endorsing the ISDB-T since 2010, has already ascertained the compatibility of the system with mobile devices.  

 

"Any mobile device such as smartphones, tablets, and the like with an ISDB-T chip can receive mobile transmission and early warning. If the mobile device has no ISDB-T chip, a dongle can be attached," he said.

 

He said there are approximately 95 million mobile phone subscribers in the Philippines. 

 

Coloma said they expect that by the end of 2013, the NTC in coordination with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) will be able to conduct public consultations leading to the promulgation of the implementing rules and regulations.

 

The NTC had earlier recommended the Japanese standard because it is less expensive than the rival European Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial 2 (DVB-T2) standard. It also has an integrated early warning system for natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis and typhoons which the European standard lacks. — TJD/RSJ, GMA News