GMA still prefers European technology

MANILA, Philippines - Broadcast giant GMA Network Inc. is still pushing for the adoption the European technology as part of the Philippines’ long delayed migration to digital terrestrial television (TV).

The publicly-listed broadcast company reiterated its position after the National Telecommunications Commisison (NTC) endorsed anew to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) the adoption of the Japanese standard.

GMA spokesman Butch Raquel said in a statement that the company still believes that the European Digital Video Broadcast-Terrestrial (DVB-T2) standard is still better that the Japanese digital TV or the Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T).

“GMA Network reiterated that it continues to maintain its position that the country should adopt the DVB-T2 standard over the ISDB-T given the clear technical superiority of the European standard,” Raquel stressed.

NTC commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba late last month said the agency already endorsed to DOST the adoption of the Japan’s ISDB-T standard last December because it is cheaper than Europe’s Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial 2 or DVB-T2.

Likewise, he said the Japanese standard also has integrated early warning mechanism in times of natural disasters such as tsunami, typhoon, earthquake, among others unlike the European technology.

In fact, Japan has offered to put up a set-top box factory in the Philippines, and the ISDB-T has an early warning system for earthquakes.

Raquel said it is now conducting tests on the Japanese technology or ISDB-T but is pushing for the adoption of the European technology.

“The network states that, while it is currently conducting tests utilizing the Japanese standard (ISDB-T), this does not mean that it has conceded its position favoring DVB-T2 nor that it has adopted ISDB-T,” he added.