Taiwan to complete TV digitalisation by 2014

Taiwan's National Communications Commission (NCC) has said the transition to digital cable television is expected to be completed by 2014, a year earlier than previously forecast. The switch from analogue TV to digital TV will be completed in two main stages, according to NCC spokesperson Chen Cheng-tsang. “During stage one, which will be completed this July, the nation’s five wireless TV stations will stop broadcasting in analogue and will only transmit signals digitally,” he said. "Stage two will be finalised when cable television stations also make the switch to digital broadcasting at the end of 2014." The decision to move the digitalisation process ahead of schedule is in accordance with a campaign promise made by ROC President Ma Ying-jeou during his recent re-election campaign, according to the NCC. Taiwan lags behind its neighbours in terms of digital penetration, said Chen. In Japan 100% of all broadcasts are already made in digital format, while in South Korea the rate is 30%.