The Ministry of Information and Communications says it will issue a
set of digital TV standards in preparation for the digitalisation of TV
broadcasting in Vietnam.
The move follows a request from
the Japanese Business Association in HCM City, which includes a
number of TV makers like Sony and Panasonic.
The association
said a set of standards (technical specifications) was required before
they could begin making the new digital TV sets, particularly CI+/CI
(common interface) connectors which would take time.
The
ministry said Vietnam planned to cease broadcasting analogue TV in
five major cities next year as digital TV takes over.
During
the transition period until 2020, households would still gain access to
digital TV through the existing sets using set-top decoder boxes, which
they would have to purchase.
The State would help about 2
million poor families buy the boxes, the budget coming from the
telecommunication public-interest fund.
TV companies would concentrate on developing content while other companies would take charge of broadcasting.
Digitalisation would be carried out in four phases, covering different groups of provinces and cities.
The first phase would be carried out in Hanoi, HCM City, Hai Phong, Da
Nang and Can Tho; the second phase in 26 provinces with a deadline of
December 31, 2016; the third phase in 18 more provinces; the last phase
in remote provinces of the north and central region.-VNA