Switching the digital Maltese TV viewer on

Maltese TV viewers are keen on getting better picture and sound quality by joining the digital bandwagon, yet there is still some confusion on how the switching-off of analogue TV signals for good on the night of December 31, 2010 will affect them, especially in financial terms.

According to the latest statistics provided by the Malta Communications Authority, digital TV connections increased from 56,372 at the end of 2007 to 80,219 at the end of the following year. On the other hand, analogue TV connections declined by more than 25 per cent, from 63,180 at the end of 2007 to 47,126 at the end of 2008. These statistics confirmed the sustained momentum in the digital TV transformation, after, for the first time in Maltese TV history, the number of digital subscribers had overcome the number of analogue subscriptions at the beginning of 2007.

A Malta Broadcasting Authority survey released this week shows that 21.7 per cent of interviewees do not watch television, and 0.2 per cent do not own a TV set.

However the digital switchover is not simple maths. Once the analogue transmissions are switched off in Malta and other European Union countries in the coming years, the good old aerial on top of the roof connected directly to the CRT TV set will only show a blank, grainy picture, full of "rice" as we Maltese use to say.

A digital set-top box connected to the TV or a TV set with in-built digital terrestrial video broadcasting standard capabilities will be the only guarantee of watching something.

Local TV viewers seem a little bit confused on what actually is going to happen. A poster in the Maltese online forum www.il-pjazza.com, which has a thriving community and a section dedicated to technology, seems to be at a loss.

"This means good-bye to watching free TV," was the immediate reaction in this forum to a story carried by i-Tech a few weeks ago that explained how by December 31, 2010 Public Broadcasting Services will be shouldering the responsibility for the unencrypted transmission of six Maltese TV stations, which will be accessible free of charge and without the need of a subscription with Go or Melita. Only TVM and Education 22 have a guaranteed place. The other four slots are up for grabs, the article revealed.

Other users commented on the offerings of Go's digital terrestrial TV service. The issue was immediately raised in the discussion, as in people's mind it was this particular service that would be affected most by the digital switchover. Forum posters at first thought that the switchover will force viewers to migrate to Go's digital TV platform which, at best, means paying €2.33 a month to get the Maltese channels, something which today they can get for free with an analogue signal.

One user tried to explain that this was not the case at all and the digital switchover would only mean getting a digital set-top box or buying a new TV with in-built DVB-T reception capabilities and not paying any monthly subscription fees.

However it was quite clear that while some of the users were not aware of what was going to happen, others were not pleased by the investment required to continue watching local channels that today are available free of charge.

In reality PBS will carry the costs of the network set-up and operation less the additional capital and ongoing costs incurred as a result of PBS having to carry other broadcasters on its network. The network will be deployed by the end of this year. Go's digital terrestrial TV service will not be obliged to provide Maltese TV stations free of charge as this will be done by PBS.

So far the government and the MCA have not announced the details of switchover plans and public information campaigns, nor is there any indication whether the government will offer a form of subsidy to get a digital set-top box.

In its annual plan for 2009 published last month, the MCA bound itself to work with the Broadcasting Authority and relevant ministries on finalising the assignment of rights of use of frequencies for digital broadcasting so that PBS could roll out its network.

In order to encourage new and innovative technologies and services the MCA said it will also review the digital broadcasting strategy in relation to the planning and management of the spectrum use for digital terrestrial TV, licensing and regulation of digital TV services.

"In addition, as part of the smooth transition to digital television the MCA will, together with other stakeholders, carry out an extensive communications campaign and monitor the progress towards the transition to digital television by switchover in 2011," the authority promised.

In the meantime the two digital TV networks operators, Go and Melita, stay on the side while monitoring developments.

"Go operates a fully digital terrestrial TV network and it is important to note that the digital switchover does in no way affect Go TV customers, as these are already on digital," a company spokesman explained to i-Tech.

"On the timing of the switchover, the indications are that this will be done in line with other European countries. Go feels it is still early to give its views on what the government should be doing in terms of switchover. However, it is important that the authorities note that a similar investment has already been made by Go when we rolled out our nationwide digital terrestrial TV coverage with full compliance with the MCA's stringent license obligations."

In a recent interview with i-Tech, Melita's chief technical officer Simon Montanaro said: "Melita has been providing digital services since February 2005 and faces no technical difficulty in continuing to provide such services. Melita is not per se impacted by the switchover date as our platform is a closed and private one that does not affect third parties. Therefore the delivery of services, including analogue broadcasts, will be driven by the needs of Melita's customers."

Analogue terrestrial TV switch-off has already taken place in Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Belgium (Flanders) and in major areas in Austria. It will take place by the end of 2010 or earlier in all of Austria, Estonia, Denmark, Spain, Slovenia and Malta. The rest, including Italy, will do so by the end of 2012.

Italy's switchover, whose progress can be monitored on Italian TV stations accessible from Malta, will have a direct impact on Maltese TV viewers, as those Maltese who don't switch over to digital won't get any analogue signals from Sicily either.

On the other hand, i-Tech is aware that weather permitting, Maltese viewers with a digital terrestrial set-up are watching digital terrestrial TV signals coming from Sicily. Such signals are also being captured by Go and Melita for re-transmission.