The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Yau Tenghua, said that full-scale digital TV broadcasting is a global trend.
In addition to providing better sound and picture quality, it can also use precious spectrum resources more effectively.
The freed up spectrum can be used for a variety of purposes, including for 5G high value-added mobile telecommunications services, increasing network capacity, and alleviating current congested indoor mobile telecommunications hotspots, such as MTR stations, to support Hong Kong’s overall telecommunications and smart city development.
The vast majority of Hong Kong citizens are now ready for full digital television broadcasting. According to the survey results in October this year, only about 2.2% of households, that is, about 58,000 households, still use analog TV.
Less than 10% of households said that they have not switched to digital TV due to economic reasons.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government stated that households still using analog TV only need to purchase digital TV receivers to continue watching local free TV programs.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government commissioned the Hong Kong Council of Social Service to launch the Community Care Fund Digital TV Assistance Program, which will be implemented until July 15 next year to continue to assist analog TV households in need to purchase digital TV receiving equipment.
Since its implementation in January this year, the scheme has benefited more than 20,000 eligible households.
