Digital terrestrial television in the Philippines are in development by the Philippine major broadcasting companies.
The Philippines uses the American
NTSC
The first American standard for analog television broadcast was developed by National Television System Committee (NTSC)National Television System Committee (1951–1953), Report and Reports of Panel No. 11, 11-A, 12–19, with Some supplement ...
standard for
analog television
Analog television is the original television technology that uses analog signals to transmit video and audio. In an analog television broadcast, the brightness, colors and sound are represented by amplitude, instantaneous phase and frequency, ...
since
color television
Color television or Colour television is a television transmission technology that includes color information for the picture, so the video image can be displayed in color on the television set. It improves on the monochrome or black-and-white t ...
arrived in November 1966. The
National Telecommunications Commission
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC; fil, Pambansang Komisyon sa Telekomunikasyon) is an attached agency of the Department of Information and Communications Technology responsible for the supervision, adjudication and control over a ...
(NTC) announced in June 2010 that the Philippines would use the Japanese
ISDB-T standard for digital terrestrial television (DTT) service, and issued a circular stating that the country's broadcasters must discontinue their analog services by the transition deadline of 11:59 p.m. (
Philippine Standard Time
Philippine Standard Time (PST or PhST; fil, Pamantayang Oras ng Pilipinas), also known as Philippine Time (PHT), is the official name for the time zone used in the Philippines. The country only uses one time zone, at an offset of UTC+08:00, b ...
,
UTC+8
UTC+08:00 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +08:00.
With an estimated population of 1.708 billion living within the time zone, roughly 24% of the world population, it is the most populous time zone in the world, as well as a ...
) on December 31, 2015; but due to continuous delay of the release of the implementing rules and regulations for DTT broadcast, the target date was moved to 2023.
The commission will be using the
ultra-high frequency television channels from 14 to 51 (470-698
MHz
The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that one he ...
) for the establishment of a DTT service and liberating channels 14 to 20 (470-512 MHz) which is being used for fixed and mobile services. However, before the announcement, several broadcasters performed trial broadcasts using the European
DVB-T
DVB-T, short for Digital Video Broadcasting – Terrestrial, is the DVB European-based consortium standard for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television that was first published in 1997 and first broadcast in Singapore in Febr ...
standard.
Preparation for the transition to DTT started with an issuance of Executive Order 546, series of 1979 and Republic Act 3846 or the Radio Control Law as amended by the local governing body for broadcast services, the NTC adopted the said order to promulgate rules and regulations in order to facilitate the entry of digital broadcast services in the Philippines and implement a specific standard for the delivery of DTT services. Subsequently organizing two technical working groups for the purpose of directing the governing body in the selection of appropriate DTT standard and upon the commendation of investors in the broadcast business, comprising the local broadcasters group, the
Association of Broadcasters of the Philippines, and the NTC, issued Memorandum Circular June 2, 2010 on June 11, 2010, implementing the standard for digital terrestrial television.
Implementation
Since the early 2000s, studies have been carried out on the country's
digital television transition. A "wait and see" plan is being trailed and examining progresses with no resolution to ensue with
digital television
Digital television (DTV) is the transmission of television signals using digital encoding, in contrast to the earlier analog television technology which used analog signals. At the time of its development it was considered an innovative advanc ...
services in the Philippines.
The NTC chose to use the Japanese standard
ISDB-T for digital television in the country in Memorandum Circular June 2, 2010, noting its capability to 3 levels of categorized modulation (audio, video and data services) to fixed, portable and handheld devices exclusive of the necessity for a supplementary communication facility.
In the draft version of the NTC's proposed regulations for DTV, broadcast companies who intend to provide digital terrestrial television service must have a congressional broadcast franchise before operating such services and have at least 15 television stations throughout the Philippines; have a minimum paid-up capital of
₱1 billion and accessible locally in 10 regions while broadcasting companies with less than the required television stations and availability locally, the minimum paid-up capital will be ₱1.2 billion, whereas new applicants with no present broadcast station, the paid-up capital will be ₱1.5 billion. For those broadcast companies who intend to deliver digital broadcast locally, must procure a congressional franchise and have at least ₱60 million per digital terrestrial television station. Concurring to the commission, the outline of digital technology in the broadcasting service would guarantee the effectiveness of the broadcast business and provide them the prospect to offer superior facilities to end-user. The draft outline as an enactment of the digital technology in the television broadcast is intended to provide greater number of channels, better screen resolution and stereo sounds through a conventional aerial antenna instead of a satellite or cable TV service.
Initially, the commission adopted the European standard
DVB-T
DVB-T, short for Digital Video Broadcasting – Terrestrial, is the DVB European-based consortium standard for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television that was first published in 1997 and first broadcast in Singapore in Febr ...
for digital broadcasting. The broadcast providers adopt either
high-definition television
High-definition television (HD or HDTV) describes a television system which provides a substantially higher image resolution than the previous generation of technologies. The term has been used since 1936; in more recent times, it refers to the g ...
format or its standard definition multiprogramming. The draft IRR also states that a duly broadcast provider with a congressional franchise will deliver analog television service and must carry its present analog television programs through its
digital terrestrial television
Digital terrestrial television (DTTV or DTT, or DTTB with "broadcasting") is a technology for terrestrial television in which land-based (terrestrial) television stations broadcast television content by radio waves to televisions in consumers' ...
service. For
digital broadcast
Digital broadcasting is the practice of using digital signals rather than analogue signals for broadcasting over radio frequency bands. Digital television broadcasting (especially satellite television) is widespread. Digital audio broadcasting i ...
provider aiming to offer
pay-per-view
Pay-per-view (PPV) is a type of pay television or webcast service that enables a viewer to pay to watch individual events via private telecast.
Events can be purchased through a multichannel television platform using their electronic program guid ...
or restricted access will be required to seek additional permission from the commission. Supplementary services may be permissible, subject to prevailing decrees, acts and laws. The draft rules equally specify the commission shall continue to process new applications for analog television stations up to December 31, 2008 but will no longer approve or authorized to broadcast beyond December 31, 2010 and all certified digital broadcast providers will relinquish their individual analog frequencies upon the termination of its analog television broadcast transmission by 11:59 p.m., December 31, 2015. However, since the last quarter of 2014, the digitization deadline has been postponed to 2019 and should be expected that all analog broadcasts will be shut off in 2023.
Deployment
Terrestrial
*ABS-CBN:
ABS-CBN Corporation
ABS-CBN Corporation is a Filipino media company based in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is the largest entertainment and media conglomerate in the Philippines. It is a subsidiary of Lopez Holdings Corporation which is owned by t ...
intends to spend 1 billion
pesos
The peso is the monetary unit of several countries in the Americas, and the Philippines. Originating in the Spanish Empire, the word translates to "weight". In most countries the peso uses the same sign, "$", as many currencies named "dollar" ...
on its transition to digital broadcasting. ABS-CBN announced on April 4, 2011 that it was prepared to launch five free "premium" channels on a DTT platform as soon as the
National Telecommunications Commission
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC; fil, Pambansang Komisyon sa Telekomunikasyon) is an attached agency of the Department of Information and Communications Technology responsible for the supervision, adjudication and control over a ...
(NTC) finalize its regulations on digital television. ABS-CBN uses UHF channel 43 (647.143 MHz) for its
ISDB-T test (also eventually move on UHF channel 14 (473.143 MHz) in order to be the first to scan) for its
ISDB-T test, and previously used channel 51 (695.143 MHz) for test broadcasts using DVB-T. Their initial test was conducted in areas of
Valenzuela Valenzuela may refer to:
Places
* Valenzuela, Paraguay
* Valenzuela, Metro Manila, Philippines
* Valenzuela, Spain
* Valenzuela de Calatrava, Spain
* Valenzuela, Louisiana
Other uses
* Valenzuela (surname), including a list of people with the n ...
,
Bulacan
Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the Metr ...
,
Rizal
Rizal, officially the Province of Rizal ( fil, Lalawigan ng Rizal), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Its capital is the city of Antipolo. It is about east of Manila. The p ...
,
Cavite
Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest ...
and
Laguna. In November 2010, ABS-CBN began rolling out its digital broadcast in 17 cities in
Metropolitan Manila
Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
including selected areas in
Bulacan
Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the Metr ...
and
Pampanga
Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga ( pam, Lalawigan ning Pampanga; tl, Lalawigan ng Pampanga ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac ...
. On February 11, 2015, ABS-CBN launched the
ABS-CBN TV Plus
ABS-CBN TV Plus (formerly Sky TV+ and stylized as ABS-CBN TVplus, repackaged in 2021 as ABS-CBN TVplus Digital TV Receiver) is a Philippine ISDB-T encrypted digital terrestrial television provider owned and operated by ABS-CBN Convergence, a ...
, a digital TV service becoming the first TV network in the country to commercially launch DTT. It also operates exclusive DTT channels (channels that other topbox devices cannot receive) and as well has an HD transmission of their flagship Channel 2. However in 2020, the NTC and
Solicitor General Jose Calida issued a total of three
cease-and-desist orders against ABS-CBN Corporation (including UHF Channel 43 and all digital channels of ABS-CBN TV Plus) to stop broadcasting due to an
expired franchise. It will also eventually move on UHF channel 14 (473.143 MHz) in order to be the first to scan but it never happened and then now instead used by
People's Television Network
People's Television Network ( fil, Telebisyon ng Bayan; abbreviated PTV) is the flagship State broadcasting, state broadcaster owned by the Government of the Philippines. Founded in 1974, PTV is the main brand of People's Television Network, In ...
, Inc.) On January 25, 2022, the
National Telecommunications Commission
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC; fil, Pambansang Komisyon sa Telekomunikasyon) is an attached agency of the Department of Information and Communications Technology responsible for the supervision, adjudication and control over a ...
awarded the frequencies that was used by ABS-CBN before it
shutdown
Shutdown or shut down may refer to:
* Government shutdowns in the United States
* Shutdown (computing)
* Shutdown (economics)
* Shutdown (nuclear reactor)
Arts and entertainment Music
* "Shut Down" (The Beach Boys song), 1963
* ''Shut Down Volu ...
to
Villar-owned
Advanced Media Broadcasting System (AMBS) for channel 16,
Aliw Broadcasting Corporation
Aliw Broadcasting Corporation is one of the major commercial broadcasting companies in the Philippines, which operates a number of radio stations under the Home Radio & DWIZ brands, as well as its only digital television station, IZTV. Its cor ...
for channel 23 and
Sonshine Media Network International
Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), also known by its legal operating name Swara Sug Media Corporation (SSMC), is a Filipino broadcast media arm of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) led by the Filipino televangelist Pastor Apollo C. ...
for channel 43.
*PTV: The
state broadcaster
State media or government media are media outlets that are under financial and/or editorial control of the state or government, directly or indirectly. There are different types of state and government media. State-controlled or state-run media a ...
People's Television Network
People's Television Network ( fil, Telebisyon ng Bayan; abbreviated PTV) is the flagship State broadcasting, state broadcaster owned by the Government of the Philippines. Founded in 1974, PTV is the main brand of People's Television Network, In ...
, Inc. began DTT trials using ISDB-T in 2009 used channel 48 (677.143 MHz). In 2011, the Japanese government donated additional equipment to the network in order to improve its digital services. PTV 4 is also planning to operate an
Emergency Warning Broadcast system (EWBS) using the digital platform. PTV later used channel 42 (641.143 MHz) frequency now moved to channel 14 (473.143 MHz).
*TV5:
TV5 Network, Inc.
TV5 Network Inc., commonly known as TV5, is a Philippine media company based in Mandaluyong, with its alternate studios located in Novaliches, Quezon City. It is primarily involved in radio and television broadcasting, with subsidiaries and ...
(formerly known as ABC Development Corporation/Associated Broadcasting Company) uses ISDB-T for its DTT trials; a simulcast of
DWET-TV
DWET-TV, channel 5 (analog) and channel 18 (digital), is the flagship TV station of Philippine television network TV5. The station is owned and operated by TV5 Network Inc., which is owned by MediaQuest Holdings, the multimedia arm of Phi ...
through DWDZ-TV. TV5 was broadcast on two
Digital TV
Digital television (DTV) is the transmission of television signals using digital encoding, in contrast to the earlier analog television technology which used analog signals. At the time of its development it was considered an innovative advanc ...
Channels as part of their Digital TV Test Broadcast; these are Channel 42 (641.143 MHz) from Nation Broadcasting Corporation and Channel 51 (695.143 MHz) from GV Broadcasting System. Currently,
TV5 (and its sister station,
One Sports
One Sports (formerly ABC Sports from 2004 to 2008, Sports5 from 2011 to 2017 and ESPN5 from 2017 to 2020) is the sports division of TV5 Network, Inc. and jointly-operated with sister company Cignal TV. One Sports supplies and airs major spor ...
) also broadcast on Channel 51 (695.143 MHz) now the main is moved on Channel 18 (497.143 MHz) while the second is using the Channel 51 (695.143 MHz) frequency. On September 10, 2021, TV5 Network, Inc. launched the
Sulit TV
Sulit TV (, stylized in lowercase) is a Philippine ISDB-T digital terrestrial television provider owned and operated by TV5 Network. The service distributes digital set-top boxes with free-to-air digital TV channels, multimedia player, video r ...
, a digital TV service.
*GMA:
GMA Network, Inc.
GMA Network, Inc., commonly known as GMA, is a Philippine media company based in Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines. It is primarily involved in radio and television broadcasting, with subsidiaries dealing in various media related businesses. ...
applied for a digital television license from the NTC to install and maintain transmitting stations that will be attuned with and utilize to offer digital terrestrial television and digital mobile TV broadcast services, using
channel 27. Areas planned for a temporary digital broadcast will cover the cities of
Quezon City
Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
,
Makati
Makati ( ), officially the City of Makati ( fil, Lungsod ng Makati), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines.
Makati is the financial center of the Philippines; it has the highest concentration ...
,
Pasig
Pasig, officially the City of Pasig ( fil, Lungsod ng Pasig), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 803,159 people.
It is located along the ...
,
Tagaytay
Tagaytay, officially the City of Tagaytay ( fil, Lungsod ng Tagaytay), is a 2nd class component city in the province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 85,330 people.
It is one of the country's most po ...
, and
Angeles City
, anthem = Himno ning Angeles (Angeles Hymn)
, subdivision_type3 = District
, subdivision_name3 =
, established_title = Settled
, established_date = 1796
, established_title1 = Chartere ...
in
Pampanga
Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga ( pam, Lalawigan ning Pampanga; tl, Lalawigan ng Pampanga ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac ...
; and areas like
Ortigas
Ortigas Center is a central business district located within the joint boundaries of Pasig, Mandaluyong and Quezon City, within the Metro Manila region in the Philippines. With an area of more than , it is Metro Manila's second most important bu ...
,
Cavite
Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest ...
, and
Calumpit
Calumpit, officially the Municipality of Calumpit ( tgl, Bayan ng Calumpit), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 118,471 people.
Etymology
The name "''Calu ...
in
Bulacan
Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the Metr ...
. GMA was vocal about the NTC's choice of DTV standard; on March 27, 2011, a GMA executive proposed the use of the updated European standard
DVB-T2
DVB-T2 is an abbreviation for "Digital Video Broadcasting – Second Generation Terrestrial"; it is the extension of the television standard DVB-T, issued by the consortium DVB, devised for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial tele ...
as opposed to ISDB-T due to its better quality. However, the NTC did not change its decision.
[http://services.inquirer.net/print/print.php?article_id=20110327-327965] However, after few years they are ready to adopt the ISDB-T standard Currently, they are broadcasting on
Digital UHF Channel 15 (479.143 MHz) on
ISDB-T. On June 26, 2020, GMA Network launched the
GMA Affordabox
GMA Affordabox is a Philippine ISDB-T digital terrestrial television provider distributed and being marketed by GMA New Media, a subsidiary of GMA Network, Inc. The service distributes digital set-top boxes and USB OTG dongles with free-to- ...
, a digital TV service.
*NET25 and INCTV:
Eagle Broadcasting Corporation
Eagle Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) is a Filipino Media company based in Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines. Named after the national bird, the '' Philippine eagle'', it is primarily involved in radio and television broadcasting. The primary ...
in partnership with the
Christian Era Broadcasting Service International
Christian Era Broadcasting Service International, Inc. (CEBSI) (known as Christian Broadcasting Service from 1969 to 1994 and Christian Era Broadcasting Service Inc., from 1994 to 2014) is a Philippine television and radio network, and a reli ...
, launched the first digital television station in the country,
DZCE-TV
DZCE-TV is the flagship non-commercial station of the Philippine television network INC TV (merger of GEM TV and INC Channel on SkyCable and stylized as INCTV). INCTV is the flagship UHF television station of Christian Era Broadcasting Service ...
UHF Channel 49 (683.143 MHz), GEMNET, in 2007. Initially broadcasting in DVB-T, it shifted to using ISDB-T in 2009. However, following the launch of INCTV, digital transmissions initially conducted during analog off-air periods from 12-4AM. By September 5, 2017, the network was given a "special authority" by the NTC to transfer its analog broadcasts on UHF Channel 48 to allow full-time digital simulcast.
*BEAM:
Broadcast Enterprises and Affiliated Media, Inc., owned by a joint consortium led by Bethlehem Holdings, Inc., an investee of
Globe Telecom Retirement Fund through its holding company HALO Holdings Inc. (which owns 39 percent of Altimax Broadcasting Company), applied for digital terrestrial broadcast but still vocal to the DVB-T2 digital system. The station uses the frequency UHF Channel 31 (575.143 MHz).
*SEC:
Solar Entertainment Corporation
Solar Entertainment Corporation (simply known as Solar or SEC) is a Filipino media company based in Makati, Philippines. Founded and owned by the brothers, Wilson, William and Willy Tieng. Solar Entertainment operates two digital free-to-air c ...
is testing its DTT using ISDB-T on UHF Channel 21 (515.143 MHz) after Channel 22 (521.143 MHz) and UHF Channel 30 (569.143 MHz) but the second frequency eventually moves to UHF Channel 22 (521.143 MHz) replacing the main/first one possibly operated by subsidiary
SBN. Solar also operates free-to-air and exclusive DTT channels. On the first quarter of 2018, Solar launched its own digital setup-box called
Easy TV
Easy TV was a consortium that were offered a licence by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) to run the pay television services on the DTT platform in the Republic of Ireland. It was last one standing and least preferred in the 2008 conte ...
, until it ceased on September 30, 2019.
*SMNI:
Sonshine Media Network International
Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), also known by its legal operating name Swara Sug Media Corporation (SSMC), is a Filipino broadcast media arm of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) led by the Filipino televangelist Pastor Apollo C. ...
is conducting a DTT testing using ISDB-T on UHF Channel 40 (629.143 MHz).
*Hope Channel Philippines and GNN: Gateway UHF Broadcasting and
First United Broadcasting Corporation
Global Satellite Technology Services (formerly known as First United Broadcasting Corporation) is a broadcast radio and television company in the Philippines. Its original station FUBC TV-9 in Zamboanga was an affiliate of BBC from 1974 to 198 ...
is conducting a DTT testing using ISDB-T on UHF Channel 46 (665.143 MHz).
*CNN Philippines: On January 28, 2016, the state-sequestered
Radio Philippines Network
Radio Philippines Network, Inc. (RPN) is a Philippine television and radio company based in Quezon City. It is the flagship media property of Nine Media Corporation of the ALC Group of Companies; along with the Office of the Press Secreta ...
and Private company
Nine Media Corporation
Nine Media Corporation (formerly known as Solar Television Network, Inc. or STVNI) is a Filipino-based media company. Formerly a wholly owned subsidiary of Solar Entertainment Corporation (SEC), a multimedia television and film company of the ...
is conducting a DTT testing using ISDB-T on UHF Channel 19 (503.143 MHz).
*Light Network/ZOE TV: On March 1, 2017,
ZOE Broadcasting Network
ZOE Broadcasting Network, Inc. (ZOE TV) is a Philippine broadcast media arm of the Jesus Is Lord Church. Based in Ortigas Center, Pasig, it operates a network of television and radio stations each in Mega Manila, Puerto Princesa City, Visay ...
made history on Philippine TV broadcasting as it switched to digital-only broadcasting, using
DZOZ-TV Channel 33 (587.143 MHz). Light Network is the first TV network in the country to fully abandon its analog transmissions and shift to digital television, as network engineers stated that they have been prepared for years to make the switch happen. while the second frequency eventually using
DZOE-DTV Channel 20 (509.143 MHz).
*IBC: In October 2017, despite its impending privatization, the state-sequestered
Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation
Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) is a Philippines, Philippine State broadcasting, state broadcaster owned by the Government Communications Group under the Presidential Communications Group (Philippines)#Presidential Communicat ...
managed to conduct DTT testing using ISDB-T on UHF Channel 26 (545.143 MHz) then on March 18, 2022 moved to UHF Channel 17 (491.143 MHz) frequency and then the old one was temporarily back from March 21 but discontinued after March 31, 2022.
*MBC/DZRH News Television:
Manila Broadcasting Company
Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC) is a radio and television network in the Philippines. MBC is currently owned by the FJE Group of Companies of Fred J. Elizalde, which also operates hotels and Pasay-based amusement park Star City. Its AM fla ...
, the largest radio network in the Philippines, has started conducting its DTT broadcast in Cebu City using UHF channel 43 (647.143 MHz).
*UNTV:
Progressive Broadcasting Corporation
Progressive Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) is a Philippine radio and television network owned by businessman Alfredo L. Henares with 70% equity share together with Joselito N. Pedero (15.3%) and Dennis T. Villareal (14.5%). The company was re ...
, owned and operated by Breakthrough and Milestones Productions International is currently testing its
ISDB-T on UHF Channel 38 (617.143 MHz), and it can be viewed in Mega Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Cavite and other nearby provinces.
*RJTV: On January 4, 2019,
Rajah Broadcasting Network
Rajah Broadcasting Network, Inc. (which stands for RAmon JAcinto Holdings) is a Philippine television and radio network owned by guitarist-singer-businessman Ramon "RJ" Jacinto. The network's studio headquarters located at Ventures I Bldg., Ma ...
started its broadcasting on digital using UHF Channel 29 (563.143 MHz). RJTV is also the second TV network in the country to fully abandon its analog transmissions and shift to digital television.
*Aliw Broadcasting/IZTV: On May 6, 2022,
Aliw Broadcasting Corporation
Aliw Broadcasting Corporation is one of the major commercial broadcasting companies in the Philippines, which operates a number of radio stations under the Home Radio & DWIZ brands, as well as its only digital television station, IZTV. Its cor ...
has started conducting a DTT testing using ISDB-T on UHF Channel 23 (527.143 MHz).
*AMBS/All TV: On June 26, 2022,
Advanced Media Broadcasting System has started conducting a DTT testing using ISDB-T on UHF Channel 16 (485.143 MHz).
Cable
*Sky Cable: In October 2010,
Sky Cable
Sky Cable (stylized as SKYcable) is a cable television service of Sky Cable Corporation in the Philippines. It covers areas across the country with both digital and analog cable services, and it has 700,000 subscribers, controlling 45% of ...
announced it would migrate at least 80% of its subscribers in Metro Manila to a
digital cable
Digital cable is the distribution of cable television using digital data and video compression. The technology was first developed by General Instrument. By 2000, most cable companies offered digital features, eventually replacing their previou ...
platform with new
Digiboxes by 2011. SkyCable allocated 20 percent of its
Php
PHP is a general-purpose scripting language geared toward web development. It was originally created by Danish-Canadian programmer Rasmus Lerdorf in 1993 and released in 1995. The PHP reference implementation is now produced by The PHP Group. ...
1 billion capital expenditure in order to fund the migration. SkyCable adopted the
DVB-C standard for its digital cable system. The new platform also allowed SkyCable to additionally introduce high definition channels to its lineup.
*Destiny Cable: In March 2009,
Destiny Cable
Destiny Cable (formerly Global Destiny Cable and stylized as DESTINY CABLE) was a direct-to-home cable television subscription service based in Quezon City. Destiny Cable was the 2nd largest cable TV provider in the Philippines. It was owned by ...
began to offer its own digital cable services, investing
Php
PHP is a general-purpose scripting language geared toward web development. It was originally created by Danish-Canadian programmer Rasmus Lerdorf in 1993 and released in 1995. The PHP reference implementation is now produced by The PHP Group. ...
500 to
Php
PHP is a general-purpose scripting language geared toward web development. It was originally created by Danish-Canadian programmer Rasmus Lerdorf in 1993 and released in 1995. The PHP reference implementation is now produced by The PHP Group. ...
700 million on
headend and infrastructure updates and the distribution of digital set-top boxes for its subscribers.
*Parasat Cable:
Parasat Cable TV
Parasat Cable Television (stylized upper case as PARASAT with a satellite dish icon) is a Philippine cable television operator billed as Mindanao's only digital television system and fiber broadband internet provider. It is based in Cagayan de Or ...
, the cable provider of
Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
, introduced digital cable in July 2009. It has rolled out its services to
Cagayan de Oro City
Cagayan ( ), officially the Province of Cagayan ( ilo, Probinsia ti Cagayan; ibg, Provinsiya na Cagayan; itv, Provinsiya ya Cagayan; fil, Lalawigan ng Cagayan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region, covering ...
; municipalities of
Opol
Opol, officially the Municipality of Opol ( ceb, Lungsod sa Opol; tl, Bayan ng Opol), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Misamis Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 66,327 people.
Opol was cre ...
and
Tagoloan; in
Malaybalay
Malaybalay, officially the City of Malaybalay ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Malaybalay; Bukid language, Bukid and Higaonon language, Higaonon: ''Bánuwa ta Malaybaláy''; fil, Lungsod ng Malaybalay), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classificat ...
and
San Carlos, Negros Occidental
San Carlos, officially the City of San Carlos ( ceb, Dakbayan sa San Carlos; hil, Dakbanwa/Syudad sang San Carlos; fil, Lungsod ng San Carlos), is a 2nd class component city in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. According to the ...
; Ginoog City; municipalities of
Balingasag
Balingasag, officially the Municipality of Balingasag ( ceb, Lungsod sa Balingasag; tl, Bayan ng Balingasag), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Misamis Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 74, ...
,
Don Carlos
''Don Carlos'' is a five-act grand opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi to a French-language libretto by Joseph Méry and Camille du Locle, based on the dramatic play '' Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien'' (''Don Carlos, Infante of Spain'') by Friedri ...
and
Valencia City, Bukidnon
Valencia, officially the City of Valencia ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Valencia; fil, Lungsod ng Valencia), is a 2nd class component city in the province of Bukidnon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 216,546 people.
Val ...
; and, the east and west sides of
Misamis Oriental
Misamis Oriental ( ceb, Sidlakang Misamis; tl, Silangang Misamis), officially the Province of Misamis Oriental, is a province located in the region of Northern Mindanao in the Philippines. Its capital, largest city and provincial center is th ...
.
Satellite
*Cignal:
Cignal
Cignal (pronounced as ''signal'') is a Philippine satellite television and IPTV provider, owned by Cignal TV Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the MediaQuest Holdings Inc. under the PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund.
Cignal's prepaid electronic ...
and its parent company MediaScape (which is owned by the
PLDT
PLDT, Inc., formerly known as the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company ( fil, Kompanya ng Teleponong Pangmalayuan ng Pilipinas), is a Philippine telecommunications, internet and digital service holdings company. It is one of the country's ...
) invested
Php
PHP is a general-purpose scripting language geared toward web development. It was originally created by Danish-Canadian programmer Rasmus Lerdorf in 1993 and released in 1995. The PHP reference implementation is now produced by The PHP Group. ...
1.5 billion in the implementation of its digital satellite TV services. Cignal uses the
DVB-S2
Digital Video Broadcasting - Satellite - Second Generation (DVB-S2) is a digital television broadcast standard that has been designed as a successor for the popular DVB-S system. It was developed in 2003 by the Digital Video Broadcasting Proje ...
standard for its digital satellite platform.
*G Sat (Global Satellite):
G Sat
G-Sat (''Global Satellite'') is a subscription-based direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television service commercially available in the Philippines. G-Sat is owned by Global Satellite Technology Services (GSTS), registered in the Philippines with t ...
is a
First United Broadcasting Corporation
Global Satellite Technology Services (formerly known as First United Broadcasting Corporation) is a broadcast radio and television company in the Philippines. Its original station FUBC TV-9 in Zamboanga was an affiliate of BBC from 1974 to 198 ...
and Global Broadcasting Mutimedia Inc. company is one of the newest subscription-based
Direct-To-Home
Satellite television is a service that delivers television programming to viewers by relaying it from a communications satellite orbiting the Earth directly to the viewer's location. The signals are received via an outdoor parabolic antenna commo ...
satellite television service in the Philippines. Channel content in this DTH satellite TV service provider is received from program providers, compressed and broadcast via SES New Skies NSS 9 in
DVB-S2
Digital Video Broadcasting - Satellite - Second Generation (DVB-S2) is a digital television broadcast standard that has been designed as a successor for the popular DVB-S system. It was developed in 2003 by the Digital Video Broadcasting Proje ...
color format exclusively to its subscribers using the Integrated Receiver-Decoder.
*SKY Direct:
Sky Direct
Sky Direct was a direct-broadcast satellite subscription television service in the Philippines owned and operated by Sky, a subsidiary of ABS-CBN. Sky Cable had been eyeing for a DBS service and considered on acquiring Dream Satellite TV from A ...
is a
direct-broadcast satellite
Satellite television is a service that delivers television programming to viewers by relaying it from a communications satellite orbiting the Earth directly to the viewer's location. The signals are received via an outdoor parabolic antenna commo ...
(DBS) service provider in the Philippines. It is owned and operated by
Sky Cable Corporation
Sky Cable Corporation, doing business as Sky, is a Telecommunications in the Philippines, Filipino telecommunications company based in Diliman, Quezon City. A subsidiary of the media conglomerate ABS-CBN Corporation, ABS-CBN, the company offe ...
, a subsidiary of
ABS-CBN Corporation
ABS-CBN Corporation is a Filipino media company based in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is the largest entertainment and media conglomerate in the Philippines. It is a subsidiary of Lopez Holdings Corporation which is owned by t ...
. On December 23, 2015, Sky was granted a provisional authority by the NTC to operate and maintain a DBS service in the country for a period of 18 months and plans to spend at least Php 252 million for its initial roll-out. It is being carried by SES NSS-11 satellite using DVB-S2 digital television broadcast standard in the Ku band and Verimatrix encryption system to protect its content from signal piracy. On June 30, 2020, the NTC and Solicitor General Jose Calida issued an alias cease-and-desist order (ACDO) against SKY Direct to stop its operations due to the
expired franchise of ABS-CBN.
Mobile
Certain mobile phones and tablets carry the ability to receive digital TV signals. The following brands are:
*
Starmobile
Starmobile is a Filipino smartphone and tablet manufacturer based in Pasig, Philippines. It was established by Star Telecom Alliance Resources, Inc. In 2011, the company entered the mobile sector in the Philippines under the presidency of Michael ...
*
Cherry Mobile
Cherry Mobile is a Philippine mobile phone and electronics brand by Cosmic Technologies, established by Maynard Ngu in 2009. In 2010, barely two years after it started, Cherry Mobile was voted IT Company of the Year in the 3rd CyberPress Awards, ...
*
MyPhone
*
Alcatel Alcatel may refer to:
* Alcatel, a former French telecommunications equipment company, which became Alcatel-Lucent and is now part of Nokia
* Alcatel Mobile, a brand of mobile phones, tablets and wearables, formerly a joint venture between Alcatel ...
*
Samsung
The Samsung Group (or simply Samsung) ( ko, 삼성 ) is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It comprises numerous affiliated businesses, most of them united under the ...
*O-Plus
*SKK Mobile
Dongle
*ABS-CBN TV Plus Go
*GMA Now
Internet
With the advent of digital streaming systems at the start of mid-2010s, there are active video streaming services available in the Philippines namely:
*
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
*
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming and Renting, rental service of Amazon (c ...
*
Cignal Play
*
Hayu
*
Disney+
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment
Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...
*
HBO Go
HBO Go is a partly-inactive authenticated video on demand of the pay television service HBO. The service allowed subscribers to HBO via television providers to access its programming on-demand via the HBO website, mobile apps, and digital media p ...
*
iflix
WeTV iflix, or simply iflix, is a Malaysian free and subscription video on demand (VOD) service focused on emerging markets. Its global headquarters are in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The site serves as a digital hosting and distribution platform fo ...
*
iQIYI
*
iWantTFC
iWantTFC is a Filipino over-the-top content platform and production company owned and operated by ABS-CBN Digital Media, a division of ABS-CBN Corporation, formed in 2020 through the merger of two streaming services iWant and TFC Online. In ad ...
*
Pop TV
Pop TV is a Slovenian generalist television channel operated by Pro Plus d.o.o., a subsidiary of Central European Media Enterprises (CME), which is in turn owned by Czech investment company PPF.
News programs
POP TV's current news programmin ...
* TAP Go
*
Tubi
Tubi is an American over-the-top content platform and ad-supported streaming service owned by Fox Corporation. The service was launched on April 1, 2014, and is based in Los Angeles, California. In January 2021, Tubi reached 33 million monthly ...
* Jungo+
*
Viu
*
WeTV
We TV (stylized as WE tv) is an American pay television channel. Owned by AMC Networks since its September 1997 launch, it is oriented mainly towards lifestyle and entertainment programming.
As of February 2015, approximately 85.2 million Ameri ...
*
Google Play Movies
*
Rakuten Viki
*
SonyLIV
SonyLIV is an Indian Over-the-top media services, over-the-top freemium Streaming media, streaming platform owned by Culver Max Entertainment. SonyLIV was introduced in 2013 as the first Over-the-top media service, OTT service in India. As a s ...
* DisneyLife (defunct)
*
HOOQ
Hooq (stylised in all caps, pronounced like ''hook'') was a Singaporean video on demand streaming service. It was a joint-venture of Singtel, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros., with presence in the Philippines, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and S ...
(defunct)
* FOX+ (defunct)
Developments
*July 2007. Television firms who plan to broadcast digital terrestrial television services to television and other communication devices cannot implement such as the commission is revising its guidelines on digital television programming. However, the commission allows broadcast firms to test its system while waiting for the implementing rules and regulations (IRR). The development comes in light with telecom company,
Smart Communications Inc. through its
MediaQuest Holdings, Inc.
MediaQuest Holdings, Inc. is a Philippine-based media conglomerate that provides radio and television broadcasting, as well as direct-to-home satellite services and print media. Though an affiliate of telecommunications company PLDT, MediaQue ...
for its myTV service. The commission reiterates in the absence of IRR, the telecom company cannot charge the service being offered to its subscribers.
*June 2009. In formulating the transition from analog television broadcast to
digital terrestrial television
Digital terrestrial television (DTTV or DTT, or DTTB with "broadcasting") is a technology for terrestrial television in which land-based (terrestrial) television stations broadcast television content by radio waves to televisions in consumers' ...
(DTT) transmission in the Philippines and to guide the commission in outlining the planned implementing rules and regulations for the enactment of DTT service, ultra-high frequency television channels 14 to 51 (470-698 MHz) will be assigned to the DTT Broadcast Service and deliberating further channels 14 to 20 (470-512 MHz) which is being used by Fixed and Mobile Service. On June 24, 2009, the local unit of the commission, the Frequency Management Division is assigned to formulate a frequency allocation plan for the effective transmission of appropriate users of channels 14 to 20.
*February 2010. The Philippines is anticipated to deferment its planned analog television signal automatic switch-off in 2015 due to technicalities in implementing an official digital terrestrial television platform. While other members of
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, militar ...
cooperatively accepted the digital video broadcasting-terrestrial or the
DVB-T
DVB-T, short for Digital Video Broadcasting – Terrestrial, is the DVB European-based consortium standard for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television that was first published in 1997 and first broadcast in Singapore in Febr ...
as its favored standard, the Philippines have not adopted any platform.
*December 2010. The governments of Japan and the Philippines reached a collaboration decision in adopting a memorandum of cooperation resulting in the commission’s earlier pronouncement to use the Japanese’s
Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial platform for digital terrestrial television broadcast standard for the Philippines. According to the
Commission on Information and Communications Technology
The Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) ( fil, Komisyon sa Teknolohiyang Pang-impormasyon at Pangkomunikasyon}) was the primary policy, planning, coordinating, implementing, regulating, and administrative entity of t ...
, the Japanese government is keen on guiding Filipino counterpart to the technology. The Philippine government also requested its counterpart to shoulder the cost of
set-top boxes
A set-top box (STB), also colloquially known as a cable box and historically television decoder, is an information appliance device that generally contains a TV-tuner input and displays output to a television set and an external source of sign ...
and also deliberating in rescheduling the compulsory switchover from analog transmission to digital broadcast from an earlier target.
*February 2011. The NTC plans to implement the digital terrestrial television service in select key cities in the Philippines in 2012. The governing body desires the transition be implemented gradually. The technical working group has yet not classified where the transition will take place. Key cities in the Philippines are being considered but in the absence of an implementing rules and regulations, the
digital terrestrial television
Digital terrestrial television (DTTV or DTT, or DTTB with "broadcasting") is a technology for terrestrial television in which land-based (terrestrial) television stations broadcast television content by radio waves to televisions in consumers' ...
service may not be fully consummate to the viewing public. While the transition will be made progressively, broadcasting networks can still convey analog television service although DTT is being rationalized in other areas. Meanwhile, the commission set an 85 percent compliance rate before it consider terminating all analog signals for broadcast transmission.
*March 2011. The NTC asked to reevaluate the platform to be used for the Philippines digital television broadcast. The regulator is studying the possible implementation of a newer platform, the European second-generation
Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DVB-T2) substituting the Japanese
Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) standard that the commission adopted earlier and was the basis of creating implementing rules and regulations for digital broadcast. Experts announced the
DVB-T2
DVB-T2 is an abbreviation for "Digital Video Broadcasting – Second Generation Terrestrial"; it is the extension of the television standard DVB-T, issued by the consortium DVB, devised for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial tele ...
is superior to its Japanese counterpart. Broadcasting firms,
GMA Network, Inc.
GMA Network, Inc., commonly known as GMA, is a Philippine media company based in Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines. It is primarily involved in radio and television broadcasting, with subsidiaries dealing in various media related businesses. ...
conveyed their support to reevaluate its earlier decision to adopt ISDB-T platform. The Commission adopted the ISDB-T primarily owing in terms of affordability.
*April 2011. One of Philippines broadcasting firms,
ABS-CBN Corporation
ABS-CBN Corporation is a Filipino media company based in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is the largest entertainment and media conglomerate in the Philippines. It is a subsidiary of Lopez Holdings Corporation which is owned by t ...
, criticized the NTC for conveying varied indications on the Philippines official stand on digital television standard. The firm panned the commission on its incompetence in supporting its initial pronouncement to implement Japanese digital television standard, the
Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T). In 2010, the commission officially led the digital television period in the Philippines and releases a memorandum circular agreeing to the use of ISDB-T as the standard digital platform. But in recent developments, the commission is considering the European digital television platform, the European
Digital Video Broadcast-Terrestrial (DVB-T). According to the commission, the European platform is superior to its Japanese counterpart.
*May 2011. Television companies in the Philippines have supported the local governing body to reevaluate the digital television standard to be used, and the attempt to reconsider the advancement of the Japanese technology (
ISDB-T) over the newer version of the European digital television platform. Broadcasting companies initiated to delay the switchover provided the technology will be used is far more advanced than the initial digital standard adopted on June 11, 2010.
TV5 agreed to do comparative tests with the European and Japanese standard. The commission is simultaneously drafting the implementing rules and regulations for digital terrestrial television broadcast under the Japanese platform and reviewing the
DVB-T2
DVB-T2 is an abbreviation for "Digital Video Broadcasting – Second Generation Terrestrial"; it is the extension of the television standard DVB-T, issued by the consortium DVB, devised for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial tele ...
European standard.
*August 2011. The NTC finalized its evaluation on the chosen standard for the digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcast service in the Philippines. The commission adopted the Japan’s Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Television (ISDB-T) standards over its European counterpart, the Digital Video Broadcasting-Television (DVB-T2).
*October 2013. The NTC reconfirmed the recommendation to adopt the Japanese Digital Television standard as the country's national TV standard after a public hearing.
*December 17, 2014. NTC released the draft implementing rules and regulations for the Philippines' transition to digital television.
*March 2016. The NTC holds public consultations regarding the migration plan to digital television. It envisions the Philippines to go "fully migrated to digital TV" in three to five years (2019-2021).
*February 2017. The
Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) officially start the switch-over from Analog to Digital. DICT also moves the schedule for total shut-off of analog TV services to the year 2023.
*February 2018. NTC released the implementing rules and regulations on the re-allocation of the UHF Channels 14-20 (470–512 Megahertz (MHz) band) for digital terrestrial television broadcasting (DTTB) service. All operating and duly authorized Mega Manila VHF (very high frequency) television networks are entitled to a channel assignment from Channels 14 to 20.
See also
*
Digital television transition
*
Television in the Philippines
Television in the Philippines was introduced in October 1953 upon the first commercial broadcast made by Alto Broadcasting System (now ABS-CBN), making the Philippines the first Southeast Asian country and the second in Asia to do so. Even b ...
*
List of digital television stations in the Philippines
This is the list of the stations on digital television in the Philippines. The channels are available to viewers depends on the location. The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has adopted the ISDB-T standard for Philippine televis ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Digital Television in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
Science and technology in the Philippines