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

In February, 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 is the significant cost required on the part of television broadcasters.

Green advised that 2018 is, in principle, the year that has been 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 as analogue switchoff or ASO.

When television broadcasters go to digital broadcasting, they replace their analogue transmission equipment with digital equipment which are smaller and use less space and energy. But 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).

The change will mean that consumers and households will also need digital receivers. This may mean purchasing new television sets, or acquiring a set top box (STB) to connect to their existing analogue television to convert the digital signal to analogue and vice 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 STB or a new television.

In a number of countries where the digital transition has been done, the government provided subsidies or coupons to assist citizens to acquire STBs.

Public education is also important so that persons are aware of the changeover and what it will mean for them, and the nation.

Jamaica's transition from analogue to digital broadcasting is 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.

Two Standards

There are two standards under consideration. There is DVB-T2, which includes support for standard definition, high-definition and ultra-high definition.

The second standard is ATSC 3.0, with features that include support for transmission over-the-air as well as over the Internet.

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, is 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 than 20 years of experience in telecommunications. She lectures in electrical engineering at the University of Technology, Jamaica. Feedback: realcomm.consultant @gmail.com. You can also send questions and comments to, editorial@gleanerjm.com or jie@cwjamaica.com. You may also leave your comments for the JIE's Technical Committee at our Facebook page: Jamaica Institution of Engineers JIE.