Taiwan has begun making the transition from analogue to digital television, the National Communications Commission said July 26, after Dajia District in Taichung City became the first community in Taiwan to make the switch.
If the conversion goes smoothly in Dajia, the NCC will begin digital TV broadcasting to other locations. The plan is for the entire nation to start using digital TV on July 1, 2012, officials said.
Since September, the NCC has been working with the Dajia District on expanding the coverage rate of digital signals, with all work completed by July 18.
Since then the 21,000 households in the district have been able to enjoy 16 high-definition channels free of charge.
The NCC said it will provide technical consultation to Dajia residents and ask for feedback.
The biggest obstacle so far has been informing the public that television sets must be fitted with a set-top box to receive digital transmissions, according to the NCC.
The NCC said it will provide subsidies to low-income households to purchase the required boxes.
In preparation for the full-scale switch next year, the NCC has been making sure that digital coverage includes as many households in Taiwan as possible.
It said the coverage rate is 96.7 percent, and that the rate should reach 98 percent soon.
“Compared with analogue transmission, a digitized broadcast system offers more channels, greater stability, higher resolution and more potential applications on mobile devices,” the NCC said.
Japan became the first nation in Asia to enter the digital TV age when it ended analogue broadcasts July 24.
