Digital TV

Jan 24, 2008 (LBO) – Mobile operator Dialog Telekom's digital broadcasting of terrestrial television via standard broadcast frequencies will be less costly for content providers and increase reception throughout Sri Lanka, company officials said. Dialog's Terrestrial Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB-T) pilot project was launched Wednesday covering areas north of the capital Colombo like the Wattala suburb and Gampaha and south towards Kalutara along the coastal belt.

A single frequency band can be used to transmit 8-10 digital feeds reducing bandwidth costs for content providers such as television companies.

The pilot broadcast will carry a total of nine television channels including three foreign channels on a single UHF (Ultra High Frequency) band.

The terrestrial digital feed can be received through a set-top box and a normal antenna which enables rural masses to get access at a relatively low cost, similar to that of a television reception booster.

"It will not be a revenue generating effort but be on a cost basis," Hans Wijayasuriya, chief executive of Dialog said.

The project will be based on a low cost 'benefit sharing' basis with the local and foreign television feeds, Nushad Perera, chief executive of DialogTV sai