PRD plans full coverage of digital transmission network by 2018
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AFTER AN initial delay in setting up a digital-TV transmission network, the Public Relations Department (PRD) is investing Bt1 billion to establish nationwide coverage within two years.
“After holding an e-bid to select a company to manage and install transmitters last year, our digital-TV network now covers about half of the country’s households,” PRD director-general Apinan Juntarungsri told The Nation.
The department’s digital-TV transmission network already reaches residents in Greater Bangkok, and full coverage will be in place by 2018 in accordance with the conditions set out by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).
The PRD appears to be behind other digital transmission providers such as the Army, MCOT and Thai Public Broadcasting Service, which aim to access all |23 million households by next |year.
“Given the current progress, the PRD is now ready to be an alternative for both commercial and public digital-TV operators interested in its broadcasting network service,” Apinan stressed.
Among the national providers of digital-TV transmission service, the Army has secured 13 contracts from commercial free-to-air TV stations. They are TNN 24, New TV, Bright TV, Nation TV, Workpoint TV, True4U, GMM25, Now26, Mono29, One31, Amarin TV, Channel 7HD and PPTV. The Army also uses its own network to broadcast TV5 channel.
Apart from its own public channel, Thai PBS has four clients – Channels 3HD, 3SD and 3Family and Channel 8.
Meanwhile, MCOT provides transmission service for Thairath TV, Voice TV and Springnews TV on top of its own digital TV channels, MCOT HD and MCOT Family.
Asked about the transition from analog to digital terrestrial TV broadcasting, Natee Sukonrat, chairman of the NBTC’s broadcasting committee, admitted there had been a series of problems causing a delay in the process.
“The transition to digital TV broadcasting in Japan experienced the same problems,” he said, adding that Japan spent more than 12 years to complete both the digital transition and the analog-system shutdown. Britain achieved its |digital-TV transition in the second attempt after its first effor failed, he |said.
