Philippines announces the start of digital TV rollout

The Philippines National Telecommunications and Commission regulator (NTC) says it will begin rolling out digital television within a year.

It says the rollout will happen by end of 2014 or early next year and it plans to release rules and regulations for implementing digital TV this month.

The NTC has issued a draft memorandum circular to re-allocate the frequency band 470-512 megahertz which was used for radio trunking.

The commission says the frequency re-allocation aims to provide the major TV networks additional channels for their migration to digital, according to nextvasia.com.

Commissioner Mr Gamaliel Cordoba says frequency holders affected by the reallocation will be compensated by the broadcasting companies.