Engineers' Angle | Digital switchover for Jamaica: Challenges and opportunities

In February 2018, the University of Technology, Jamaica, hosted a digital switchover information session where the executive director of the Broadcasting Commission, Cordel Green, stated that, “The global march of digitisation has made the transition to digital television an inevitable imperative for the broadcasting industry in Jamaica.”

He highlighted the fact that one of the challenges in transitioning to digital includes the significant cost required on the part of television broadcasters. Green advised that 2018 is, in principle, the year that was targeted for the switchover. The Cabinet will make the final decision on the date.

Digital switchover is the process in which analogue television broadcasting is replaced by digital television broadcasting. Digital switchover, or DSO, is also referred to analogue switchoff, or ASO.

When television broadcasters go to digital, they replace their analogue transmission equipment with digital equipment which are smaller and use less space and energy. It is very costly to purchase new equipment to replace all their existing equipment.

There are, however, some benefits to be derived from digital transmission. These include:

- Better picture quality (standard definition and high definition).

- Opportunities for new digital broadcasters (increased competition).

- More spectrum available for cellular providers.

- Advanced emergency alert systems.

- Enhanced IP-based services (targeted advertising, second viewing screen).

Consumers and households will also need digital receivers. This may mean purchasing new television sets or acquiring a set-top box to connect to their existing analogue television to convert the digital signal to analogue andvice versa.

Consideration needs to be given to vulnerable groups, such as the elderly or disabled, who may not be able to afford to purchase a set-top box or a new television.

In a number of countries that have completed the digital transition, the government has provided subsidies/coupons to assist citizens in acquiring set-top boxes. Public education is also important so that persons will be aware of the changeover and what it will mean for them, and the nation.

Jamaica’s transition from analogue to digital broadcasting is being led by the Broadcasting Commission, with the country’s legislators then deciding which digital standard is to be used and mandating the dates for existing operators to transfer to digital broadcasting, as well as a subsequent date when all analogue transmission should cease.

There are two standards under consideration. There is DVB-T2 which includes support for standard definition, high definition and ultra-high definition. ATSC 3.0 is the other standard with features that include support for transmission over the-air, as well as over the Internet, ultra-high definition and immersive audio.

According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), 55 countries across the globe have completed the switchover to digital while 20 have not yet started, 74 are ongoing while the status of the remaining 49 countries is unknown.

The majority of countries (more than 43 per cent) are using the DVB-T2 standard, which is a European standard, while just over three per cent use ATSC 3.0, an American standard.

The executive director of the Broadcasting Commission also stated, during the DSO information session, that local broadcasters have indicated a preference for ATSC. However, the newest kid on the block, Ready TV, which launched its services in June 2017, are transmitting fully digital using the DVB-T2 standard.

In 2009, a steering committee was formed to further guide the country towards the digital transformation. We now await the outcome of this committee’s work and the final decision of the Cabinet, to transition to the digital era and embrace the change.

- Carolyn Ferguson is an electrical and computer engineer with more that 20 years of experience in telecommunications. She now lectures in electrical engineering at the University of Technology, Jamaica.Send questions and comments to, realcomm.consultant@gmail.com or editorial@gleanerjm.com or jie@cwjamaica.com. You may also leave your comments for the Jamaica Institution of Engineers’ Technical Committee at our Facebook page: Jamaica Institution of Engineers JIE.