The Philippines took a step toward making DVB-T its DTV standard ...
The Philippines took a step toward making DVB-T its DTV standard this month when its National Telecom Commission issued a draft order setting DVB-T as the standard for the country. Though the govt. hasn’t approved the draft, DVB Project…
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Exec. Dir. Peter MacAvock called it “an important milestone” that could influence decisions about whether to use the DVB or ATSC standard in Chile, Colombia, Venezuela and Argentina. The ATSC Forum had shifted its focus away from the Philippines of late and didn’t have an opportunity to file comments in the proceeding until the last minute, Chmn. Robert Graves said. The forum lobbied heavily in 2000 and 2001, but those efforts proved fruitless, he said: “The Philippines has been just silent in recent years… Our focus has been mostly on Latin America.” ASTC Forum didn’t know the draft was in the works until right before the Commission issued it, Graves said. The group missed the comment deadline for the order and only filed comments the night before the commission issued the draft, Graves said. Meanwhile, both standards groups continue to lobby heavily in Latin America, Graves said. Argentina and Chile could decide on a standard before the year ends he said: “We have very solid prospects in all those countries. There’s a good chance that Central America will adopt ATSC en masse. It’s more a matter of when than whether.”