The story of Singapore’s media development also reached a new chapter in the year of review, when plans for all-digital TV broadcasts were unveiled for free-to-air channels here.
By end-2013, all seven free-to-air channels will go digital. Channels 5, 8, Suria and Vasantham will be available in HD by 2013 while Channel U, okto and Channel News Asia will initially be available in SD, before being made available in HD by 2016.
From August to December 2011, MDA commissioned a DVB-T2 trial, run by MediaCorp and StarHub, to determine the suitability of DVB-T2, an advanced terrestrial broadcasting standard for adoption in Singapore. Five hundred households in Ang Mo Kio and Bedok HDB estates participated in the trial for indoor reception testing.
The trial was successfully completed, with results showing that DVB-T2 yielded better coverage and reception than the first generation DVB-T standard. When fully implemented, DVB-T2 can provide a better viewing experience as well as new content and services such as electronic programme guides.
Singapore would be completing its digital switchover by 2020, in line with the ASEAN schedule. Like most other countries, Singapore has planned for a “simulcast” period, where free-to-air TV signals are transmitted in both digital and analogue formats to ensure that consumers have time to get accustomed to receiving their free-to-air TV signals digitally.