Singapore introduces digital TV assistance scheme

Free digital set-top boxes are now being made available for more than 160,000 low-income households in Singapore, to enable the reception of digital terrestrial television (DTT) signals. 

Rapid TV News reports the Media Development Authority (MDA) launched the official assistance scheme at the end of September to ensure the reception of free-to-air TV channels when analogue transmission is switched off by 2020.

The assistance scheme is available to citizens whose monthly household income is on or below SGD1,900 (US$1,488) and whose monthly household income per person is SGD600 ($470) or below. Residents with annual income of or below SGD13,000 ($10,185) will also benefit from the scheme.

The Digital TV Assistance Scheme will be implemented alongside the roll-out of MediaCorp’s digital terrestrial TV network. Seven estates in Singapore can reportedly now receive digital broadcast signals using indoor antennae.