KUANTAN: The digital terrestrial television (DTT) service will be available nationwide by the end of next year, said Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.
He said MYTV Broadcasting (MYTV), which is responsible for developing and managing the DTT infrastructure, had installed transmitters at three locations in the east coast.
They were installed in Bukit Besar, Kuala Terengganu; Bukit Bakar, Machang, in Kelantan and Bukit Pelindung here.
“We expect all districts in the east coast to receive the DTT service by next January.
“Installation of the decoder (set top box) at selected homes has been carried out since May 17 as part of the test phase by MYTV,” he told reporters after the installation of the decoder at a house belonging to A Rahman Abu Bakar in Kampung Rumbia, Beserah, here yesterday.
A Rahman is one of the participants involved in the DTT test run by MYTV.
Ahmad Shabery said the test run would also be expanded to Sabah and Sarawak and then to the northern and southern parts of the peninsula followed by the Klang Valley by the end of the year.
He said two million decoders were distributed free to selected homes for the test run and they would be replaced with the MYTV decoders after the DTT service was fully operational early next year.
“From my observation, I am satisfied with the service. Although the quality is of standard definition, it is almost equivalent to high definition,” he added.
He said 40 broadcasters had shown interest in the platform offered by MYTV. — Bernama