HD TV bringing fiber access to homes

This year television viewers will literally watch a revolution unfold in front of their eyes. By the end of the year the analogue terrestrial signals will be severed completely for the switch to digital terrestrial TV and the two local TV access service providers will be offering HD TV over different technological platforms.

A few weeks ago, Go announced it had started testing HD TV over fiber-to-the-home, using the most advanced and powerful cable technology available for communication services. While it was an important announcement in terms of development of TV and communication services in Malta, very few details were given.

Why did Go chose a fiber connection for its HD TV and not its current digital terrestrial TV (DTTV) platform? Will the company also provide internet and telephony service over the same high-speed connection?

"All options are open in terms of the provision of Go's HD TV services," a company spokesman explained.

"Go is currently testing its HD TV using a fiber connection which allows for very fast data throughput. Clearly and as stated in the past, additional DTTV spectrum is required to make possible HD transmissions over the air."

This confirms I-Tech's report earlier this year that HD TV over digital terrestrial requires clean frequencies that are not at Malta's disposal at the moment since they are still being used in Italy. Once Italy goes through its digital switchover, enough frequencies will be made available that would allow Go to offer HD channels in Malta. However it seems Go has decided to take a different route.

Go confirmed that the investment in fiber-to-the-home is not being made solely to provide HD TV. It will also cater for very high-speed internet, telephony and other services. However "specific product development" would be required for all these services to happen be made available over fiber.

"Technically speaking, HD TV over DTTV, cable, satellite or Internet Protocol are very similar. The main difference here is that fiber-to-the-home is a very reliable optical medium that allows multiple bandwidth-hungry applications like HD TV, 3D TV, very high-speed internet and a wide range of future applications to run simultaneously on a single connection to the home. It is currently the most scalable and future-proof communications medium that exists."

The HD TV trial is a 'fiber' product and not part of the IP TV offering, i.e. TV over an internet connection. Go's HD TV services use the existing HD-ready PVR set-top-box, the Go Box+. The first of its kind, it was launched in Malta last December and allows viewers to pause, rewind and record live TV.

Go's investment in the fiber-optic connection to the home has to be viewed in the light of the recent drive by government and local national communication service providers to invest in fiber-optic technology. A couple of years ago, the government had mentioned the piloting of fiber-to-the-home access in the Budget speech, while the Malta Information Technology Agency mentions the roll-out of this technology in its current strategic plan.

The deployment of fiber-optic communication access is not new to Malta, as some corporate clients already enjoy such high-speed data access. What is new is that this is finally coming directly to our homes, thanks to TV.

"The intention is to start deploying such technology all across Malta in a gradual phase, combined also with the increase of number of households benefiting from higher speeds thanks to the investment in the last mile of Go's current network," the spokesman confirmed.

At this stage Go is only testing the HD TV service over fiber with a limited number of customers. A thin fibre connection is provided and a small optical network termination unit is then installed at a central location in the home where standard connections such as Cat5 or coax cable is used to connect the devices within the home.

All existing standard definition (SD) channels currently available on DTTV are also available on Go's fiber-to-the-home service and customers can zap between SD and HD channels seamlessly with Go's HD set top box. The suite of HD TV channels depends on the local and/or international HD feeds available in the market. There are no Maltese channels broadcasting in HD at the moment.

"The deployment of the Go Box+, the HD trial, the launch of quality channels and the acquisition of the exclusive rights of the English Premier League and Italian Serie A show Go's drive to innovate in the TV business, and this has helped Go increase substantially its TV customer base, which last week exceeded the important 50,000 subscriber milestone - making Go the fastest growing TV provider in Malta.

"Go achieved the 50,000 subscriber mark after barely three years of commencing its commercial operation on the basis of its value-for-money packages, quality service and the company's sound investment in network infrastructure and expansion. Go's TV service has certainly proved itself to be immensely popular in the local market and since the inception of Go TV, its customer base has soared beyond all expectations," the company spokesman said.