Hong Kong to enter full digital TV era tomorrow

Hong Kong will end analogue TV services tonight, entering an era of full digital TV broadcast tomorrow. 

But a government survey in October this year has shown that around 58,000 households were still using analogue TVs.

“It is a worldwide trend to implement full digital TV broadcast. Not only does digital TV outperform analogue TV in terms of audio and picture quality, but it also allows valuable spectrum resources to be utilized more effectively,” Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau Tang-wah said.

Yau suggested the vacated spectrum could be used for “high value-added mobile telecommunications services” such as 5G. It could also be used to enhance network capacity and relieve congested data traffic at indoor mobile hotspots including the MTR stations. 

“The switch to full digital broadcast helps support Hong Kong's overall telecommunications services and smart city development,” he said.

Although the vast majority of Hongkongers have been ready for full digital TV broadcast, the government has found that 2.2 percent of households -- around 58,000 households -- were still using analogue TVs.

But the authorities also noticed that among those who have not yet adapted to the new technologies, only less than 10 percent of them indicated that they had not switched to digital TV owing to financial reasons. 

The government said that households still using analogue TVs will need to add a digital TV receiver, or they will no longer have access to free local TV programs. 

A digital TV set-top box costs as low as several hundred dollars, while a digital TV set with basic features costs just a little more than HK$1,000, the authorities reminded the public.

The government has also launched a program to help those with financial difficulties to obtain digital TV receivers in January this year. Households applied for the program would be able to choose among a set-top box, a 24-inch digital TV set, or a 32-inch digital TV set.

The households will have their new television delivered and installed by government contractors within eight weeks after their application. 

The authorities announced today that the program will continue to run until July 15 next year, and more than 20,000 households have benefited from it so far. 

Sze Lai-shan, community organizer at the Society for Community Organization, told The Standard that some residents have not yet changed their analogue TV as they did not know about the program and social workers need to go door to door for its promotion.

“Even if they know about the program, they may not know how to apply and we have to tell them how to hand in the application form as well,” Sze said.