M1 digital TV kit for the poor from September 2014
By Irene Tham, The Straits Times, 5 Jul 2014
By Irene Tham, The Straits Times, 5 Jul 2014
This is to ensure that these homes will keep getting free-to-air TV channels when the nation switches to digital broadcasting by 2020.
The Government will pick up the bill for the digital set-top box and antenna used to plug into existing TV sets to receive the digital signals. Installation of the equipment will also be covered.
The equipment retails in shops for about $130.
Between 160,000 and 170,000 households will receive help, said Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim in February.
A key group that will get automatic assistance includes those who live in one- or two-room rental flats, or are on ComCare or self-help groups' assistance schemes. They will be notified by mail.
The scheme will also be extended to households that have no pay-TV subscription or integrated digital television, and that have a monthly household income of $1,900 and below. However, they need to apply to be included. For households with no income, the property must have an annual value of $13,000 and below.
Qualifying households must also have at least one member who is a citizen. More application details will be released closer to the launch date.
Digital transmissions allow broadcasters to send more signals more efficiently, enabling viewers to receive higher-quality images and sound, among other benefits.
Digital transmissions allow broadcasters to send more signals more efficiently, enabling viewers to receive higher-quality images and sound, among other benefits.
To tune in to digital TV, viewers need to buy and connect a digital set-top box and an indoor antenna to their existing TV sets before 2020. This is the target deadline for switching off analogue TV signals.
If they have recently bought a new TV with a built-in digital tuner, they just need to buy an indoor antenna.
SingTel and StarHub pay-TV subscribers, whose platforms are already digital, need not do anything to prepare for the switch to digital broadcasting. Pay-TV subscribers form about 60 per cent of households here.
SingTel and StarHub pay-TV subscribers, whose platforms are already digital, need not do anything to prepare for the switch to digital broadcasting. Pay-TV subscribers form about 60 per cent of households here.
* Needy households get help to access digital TV
By Irene Tham, The Straits Times, 30 Sep 2014
By Irene Tham, The Straits Times, 30 Sep 2014
MORE than 160,000 low-income households can now apply for free digital set-top boxes.
This will allow them to keep on watching free-to-air television channels, when the nation pulls the plug on analogue broadcasting in 2020.
Yesterday, the Media Development Authority (MDA) launched an official assistance scheme, which will see MDA-appointed telco M1 installing the boxes and antennae needed to receive digital signals.
A typical digital set-top box and antenna currently retail for about $130, but the bill will be picked up by the Government.
"It is important that no one is left behind in this effort because once we roll over to digital with Singapore fully covered, we will switch off analogue (transmission)", said Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim at the scheme's launch in Clementi yesterday.
"Free-to-air TV is a very important communication (tool) for the Government," he added.
SingTel and StarHub pay-TV subscribers, who form six in 10 households here, do not need to do anything to prepare for the switch as their platforms are already digital.
Those who will get automatic assistance include people living in one- or two-room rental flats, or those on ComCare or self-help groups' assistance schemes. The monthly household income has to be $1,900 and below.
For a start, 24,000 households will be notified by mail over the next few days.
The Digital TV Assistance Scheme will also be extended to other households that have no pay-TV subscription or integrated digital television, and have a monthly household income of $1,900 and below. But they need to apply to MDA to be included.
For households with no income to qualify, the property must have an annual value of $13,000 or lower, and at least one family member must be a citizen.
Breathing a sigh of relief at the news is 85-year-old Chua Mui Chian, who lives alone in a two-room rented flat in Clementi.
The retiree spends much of his leisure time watching television.
"Without the Government's help, I wouldn't know how to continue receiving TV signals when the switchover takes place," said Mr Chua in Teochew.
Digital transmission allows broadcasters to send signals more efficiently, giving viewers better-quality images and sound, among other benefits.
MediaCorp is rolling out its digital broadcasting infrastructure here in phases.
So far, households in seven estates - Bukit Batok, Ang Mo Kio, Jurong East, Clementi, Bukit Timah, Bukit Panjang and Choa Chu Kang South - can tune in to digital content.
** Parliament: Analogue broadcasting to end by Jan 1, 2019; deadline extended as needy households not on board yet
By Irene Tham, Senior Tech Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Nov 2017
Singaporeans still depending on analogue signals to watch free-to-air television will now have an extra year - till Jan 1, 2019 - to switch over to digital.
Only about half of the over 139,000 low-income households here have made the switch to digital broadcasting, despite the roll-out of a help scheme three years ago. All in, with just two months to go before the original termination date for analogue broadcasts, a quarter of households have not switched.
The announcement of the extension, made in Parliament yesterday, came in a written reply to Mr Melvin Yong's (Tanjong Pagar GRC) question on how ready low-income households here are for digital TV broadcasting.
Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim said: "It is important that Singaporeans can continue to access Mediacorp's free-to-air channels after analogue broadcasting is phased out."
This is because free-to-air channels carry programmes that promote societal values and the Singaporean identity, he added.
The move to digital broadcasting started in December 2013 when national broadcaster Mediacorp converted all seven of its free-to-air TV channels to the digital format. It has continued to broadcast in the analogue format, but this will stop from 2019.
Although three-quarters of some 1.2 million Singapore households are already receiving Mediacorp's digital TV signals over the air or through their pay TV set-top boxes, there are still some 75,000 low-income households that have yet to make the switch to digital broadcasting, said Dr Yaacob.
These are people living in one-or two-room rental flats, or those on ComCare or self-help groups' help schemes. They have a monthly income of $1,900 and below, or an annual property value of $13,000 or lower.
Under the Infocomm Media Development Authority's (IMDA) help scheme rolled out in 2014, the needy households are entitled to free equipment.
IMDA has sent out notification letters to over 139,000 households but only about half have claimed and installed their free set-top boxes and indoor antennae, said Dr Yaacob in his written parliamentary reply. IMDA will be intensifying outreach efforts by knocking on doors and working with the grassroots, but this is "not sufficient", he added.
Therefore, the Government decided to extend the deadline. It will also beef up assistance for needy households and will announce the new measures early next year.
The deadline extension will also better align Singapore's analogue switch-off date with that of its neighbours Malaysia and Indonesia, expected to be around the beginning of 2019.
There are plans to use the freed-up TV frequency to provide more capacity for mobile broadband in Singapore. Having neighbours that have also switched off their TV frequencies will reduce interference problems for mobile broadband users. Harmonising the move will also facilitate mobile roaming.
*** Last 400,000 HDB homes nudged to go for digital TV
HDB homes yet to switch to digital broadcasting will get free equipment to do so: Yaacob Ibrahim
$40 million set aside to help them make switch from analogue broadcasting by end of year
By Irene Tham, Senior Tech Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Apr 2018
After a six-year campaign to get Singapore households to switch from analogue to digital broadcasting, up to 400,000 Housing Board homes yet to make the switch are set to come on board.
Cost - it will set a family back about $100 to install equipment to covert analogue signals to digital - could have been a stumbling block to getting the remaining households to convert. The plan to end analogue broadcasts at the end of last year was put on hold for a year to get more people to switch.
Consequently, the Government has earmarked $40 million to help equip homes to receive digital broadcasts ahead of the Dec 31 deadline. After this date, those who have not installed new digital TV equipment or subscribed to pay-TV services will no longer receive Mediacorp's free-to-air channels.
Announcing this yesterday at the Infocomm Media Development Authority's (IMDA) annual partners' appreciation event at Mediacorp, Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim said the Government is committed to helping Singaporeans transition to digital TV and enjoy its benefits.
He had said in Parliament in November that access to Mediacorp's free-to-air channels is important as they are a key source of news and entertainment in four languages, and carry programmes that promote societal values and the Singaporean identity.
The IMDA will start sending letters this month to the 400,000 HDB homes, informing them that they are entitled to free equipment worth $100.
They can choose to either have a free digital set-top box and antenna installed at their home free, or get $100 off digital TV equipment of their choice at participating stores, including Best Denki, Gain City, Courts and Harvey Norman.
Digital transmissions allow broadcasters to send more signals more efficiently, enabling viewers to receive higher-quality images and sound. Users can also, among other benefits, choose which of the subtitle and language options to display.
To date, the bulk of Singapore's 1.2 million Singapore households are already receiving digital TV signals over the air or through their pay-TV set-top boxes.
Of the remaining 400,000 HDB homes, 32,000 are low-income households. There had been previous initiatives to help the low-income. Since 2014, 70,000 needy households have benefited from a scheme targeting those on a monthly income of $1,900 and below, or with an annual property value of $13,000 or lower. But more can be done, said Dr Yaacob, noting that this is why the original help scheme has now been expanded.
Singapore plans to use the freed-up analogue TV frequency to provide more capacity for mobile broadband. Malaysia and Indonesia are expected to switch off analogue broadcasting next year. Having neighbours that have also switched off their TV frequencies will reduce interference problems for mobile broadband users here.
By Irene Tham, Senior Tech Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Nov 2017
Singaporeans still depending on analogue signals to watch free-to-air television will now have an extra year - till Jan 1, 2019 - to switch over to digital.
Only about half of the over 139,000 low-income households here have made the switch to digital broadcasting, despite the roll-out of a help scheme three years ago. All in, with just two months to go before the original termination date for analogue broadcasts, a quarter of households have not switched.
The announcement of the extension, made in Parliament yesterday, came in a written reply to Mr Melvin Yong's (Tanjong Pagar GRC) question on how ready low-income households here are for digital TV broadcasting.
Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim said: "It is important that Singaporeans can continue to access Mediacorp's free-to-air channels after analogue broadcasting is phased out."
This is because free-to-air channels carry programmes that promote societal values and the Singaporean identity, he added.
The move to digital broadcasting started in December 2013 when national broadcaster Mediacorp converted all seven of its free-to-air TV channels to the digital format. It has continued to broadcast in the analogue format, but this will stop from 2019.
Although three-quarters of some 1.2 million Singapore households are already receiving Mediacorp's digital TV signals over the air or through their pay TV set-top boxes, there are still some 75,000 low-income households that have yet to make the switch to digital broadcasting, said Dr Yaacob.
These are people living in one-or two-room rental flats, or those on ComCare or self-help groups' help schemes. They have a monthly income of $1,900 and below, or an annual property value of $13,000 or lower.
Under the Infocomm Media Development Authority's (IMDA) help scheme rolled out in 2014, the needy households are entitled to free equipment.
IMDA has sent out notification letters to over 139,000 households but only about half have claimed and installed their free set-top boxes and indoor antennae, said Dr Yaacob in his written parliamentary reply. IMDA will be intensifying outreach efforts by knocking on doors and working with the grassroots, but this is "not sufficient", he added.
Therefore, the Government decided to extend the deadline. It will also beef up assistance for needy households and will announce the new measures early next year.
The deadline extension will also better align Singapore's analogue switch-off date with that of its neighbours Malaysia and Indonesia, expected to be around the beginning of 2019.
There are plans to use the freed-up TV frequency to provide more capacity for mobile broadband in Singapore. Having neighbours that have also switched off their TV frequencies will reduce interference problems for mobile broadband users. Harmonising the move will also facilitate mobile roaming.
*** Last 400,000 HDB homes nudged to go for digital TV
HDB homes yet to switch to digital broadcasting will get free equipment to do so: Yaacob Ibrahim
$40 million set aside to help them make switch from analogue broadcasting by end of year
By Irene Tham, Senior Tech Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Apr 2018
After a six-year campaign to get Singapore households to switch from analogue to digital broadcasting, up to 400,000 Housing Board homes yet to make the switch are set to come on board.
Cost - it will set a family back about $100 to install equipment to covert analogue signals to digital - could have been a stumbling block to getting the remaining households to convert. The plan to end analogue broadcasts at the end of last year was put on hold for a year to get more people to switch.
Consequently, the Government has earmarked $40 million to help equip homes to receive digital broadcasts ahead of the Dec 31 deadline. After this date, those who have not installed new digital TV equipment or subscribed to pay-TV services will no longer receive Mediacorp's free-to-air channels.
Announcing this yesterday at the Infocomm Media Development Authority's (IMDA) annual partners' appreciation event at Mediacorp, Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim said the Government is committed to helping Singaporeans transition to digital TV and enjoy its benefits.
He had said in Parliament in November that access to Mediacorp's free-to-air channels is important as they are a key source of news and entertainment in four languages, and carry programmes that promote societal values and the Singaporean identity.
The IMDA will start sending letters this month to the 400,000 HDB homes, informing them that they are entitled to free equipment worth $100.
They can choose to either have a free digital set-top box and antenna installed at their home free, or get $100 off digital TV equipment of their choice at participating stores, including Best Denki, Gain City, Courts and Harvey Norman.
Digital transmissions allow broadcasters to send more signals more efficiently, enabling viewers to receive higher-quality images and sound. Users can also, among other benefits, choose which of the subtitle and language options to display.
To date, the bulk of Singapore's 1.2 million Singapore households are already receiving digital TV signals over the air or through their pay-TV set-top boxes.
Of the remaining 400,000 HDB homes, 32,000 are low-income households. There had been previous initiatives to help the low-income. Since 2014, 70,000 needy households have benefited from a scheme targeting those on a monthly income of $1,900 and below, or with an annual property value of $13,000 or lower. But more can be done, said Dr Yaacob, noting that this is why the original help scheme has now been expanded.
Singapore plans to use the freed-up analogue TV frequency to provide more capacity for mobile broadband. Malaysia and Indonesia are expected to switch off analogue broadcasting next year. Having neighbours that have also switched off their TV frequencies will reduce interference problems for mobile broadband users here.
Related
Launch of MDA Digital TV Assistance Scheme
MDA appoints M1 to roll out Digital TV Assistance Scheme
MCI’s response to PQ on the digital TV adoption by low income households under the Digital TV Assistance Scheme -6 Nov 2017
Digital TV Starter Kits for all Singaporean non-Pay TV HDB households -6 Apr 2018
Launch of MDA Digital TV Assistance Scheme
MDA appoints M1 to roll out Digital TV Assistance Scheme
MCI’s response to PQ on the digital TV adoption by low income households under the Digital TV Assistance Scheme -6 Nov 2017
Digital TV Starter Kits for all Singaporean non-Pay TV HDB households -6 Apr 2018
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