Digital technology 'will pay in the long run'
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Call for regulator and existing broadcasters to help consumers
Thailand’s fast-track plan to convert the country from analog to digital broadcasting is ambitious but could pay dividends, says Charles Sevior, Australia-based chief technology officer (Asia-Pacific Japan region) for the Isilon Storage Division of information-management company EMC.
“Australia started thinking about and planning for digital broadcasting in 1999. We actually started the digital broadcasting in 2001 and this year, 2013, we will finally switch off the analog transmission,” he said.
“It took 13 years [to complete the transformation] and every household will now have digital TV sets. The biggest challenge was the delay for the government to regulate and make the final legislation. The regulatory body was set up in 2008 and since then it’s been a major educational programme for consumers.
“It’s also provided assistance for consumers to get the set-top boxes and digital TV equipment, so it’s important for Thailand for the regulator and existing broadcasters to help consumers in this transition.
“Consumer education took five years, but it’s probably more ambitious in Thailand to complete it in two years. In Australia we have seen the benefits of better TV quality and more TV channels, and we can have high-definition TV at the same time.
“As a latecomer, Thailand will enjoy the newer technology, which is the second generation, while Australia and the UK are struck with the first-generation technology.
“EMC and related companies had experience in Australia as they had worked with Australia’s Channel 9. Besides the benefit of cost saving for broadcasters, the TV media can also be re-purposed for smart phones and tablet computers, for example.
“A lot of young people have these devices and their access to the TV media has become more important.
“Meantime, in Australia existing broadcasters were given access to digital-broadcasting licences as a replacement technology. There was no bidding or auction of these licences” as in Thailand, where 24 commercial digital TV licences will be offered.
Prapas Nuannet of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce said: “Thailand also started talking about digital TV broadcasting in 1999. The plan was to start the process about five years later, but it was postponed until a few years ago when we set up the National Broadcasting and Telecomunciations Commission.
“Neighbouring countries such as Vietnam started to test digital broadcasting technology, which provides better TV quality and much more choices in terms of the number of channels.
“Because of technological advancement, it’s now easier to switch to digital than many years ago. The digital-compression technology allows up to eight additional channels using an existing channel’s spectrum.
“This means six existing analog channels will become a total of 48 channels [including the 24 commercial channels whose licences will be offered by the regulator to interested bidders]. The challenge lies more in the sourcing of content.
“In fact, digital equipment is now much cheaper, even cheaper than some analog equipment whose production will soon be stopped.
“We can learn from pioneers like Australia that were among the first to adopt digital technology for broadcasting.
“In Thailand, TV media on smart phones and tablets are also important. In the education sector at our university for example, teaching and convergence of the media are a focal point with multiple platforms to reach our students.
“This allows any-time-anywhere access and on-demand access to educational content. For TV viewers, the experience will be similar, as they can watch when they want to.”
