InterAksyon.com means BUSINESS
MANILA - (UPDATED 4:57 p.m.) The National Telecommunications Commisison in two weeks will endorse to Malacanang the adoption of the Japanese standard for the Philippines' migration to digital terrestrial TV.
Carlo Martinez, NTC deputy commissioner, said the regulator and the Department of Science and Technology will recommend Japan’s Integrated Service Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial or ISDB-T standard.
"Our movement depends upon the favorable recommendation of the economic management team," Martinez said.
He said NTC and DOST chose the Japanese standard because it is cheaper than Europe's Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial 2 or DVB-T2. Add to that, Tokyo has offered to put up a set-top box factory in the Philippines, and the ISDB-T has an early warning system for earthquakes.
Felipe Gozon, GMA Network Inc. chairman, said the company was "more inclined" to adopt the European standard.
"I don’t know how the government can force us to use the Japanese standard because we are going to use our money to buy the equipment. We are not going to borrow from them. Does the government dictate on Philippine Airlines what aircraft it will buy?" Gozon said.
"Since we are going to invest our money, it is our study that will control our decisions. It's as simple as that, but we already told the NTC we are studying the European standard," he added.
Except for its transmitters, about 90 percent of GMA7's equipment is digital.
The Kapisanan ng Brodkaster ng Pilipinas had said the cost of the STB for DVB-T2 was "substantially higher” by almost $20 than ISDB-T.
“The low cost of STB lowers the entry or migration barrier for the consumer and hastens the ASO,” KBP said, referring to the analogue shut-off date.
The group said the price of P2,000 to P3,000 for each STB is considered "affordable" by consumers.
KBP said there is only one manufacturer of the Japanese STB while there are several for the European version.
The NTC was supposed to issue the implementing rules and regulations for digital TV in July last year but was delayed because of the review ordered by Malacañang.
In 2010, the regulator issued an order adopting ISDB-T as the standard. Besides Japan, other countries that have adopted ISDB-T were Brazil, Peru, Chile, Venzuela, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Paraguay.
The Philippines had planned to migrate from analog to digital TV come 2015. Free-TV or non-cable households comprise 90 percent of the country's 17 million.
With a report from Krista Angela M. Montealegre
InterAksyon.com means BUSINESS
BUSINESS NEWS
