Taipei, Feb. 23 (CNA) TV broadcasting in Taiwan will go fully digital by July and the analog signal will be shut down in phases starting in May, the National Communications Commission (NCC) announced Wednesday.
The nationwide transition to digital services will begin May 7 in central Taiwan, May 28 in eastern Taiwan, June 11 in southern Taiwan, and June 30 in northern Taiwan, said NCC spokesman Chen Jen-chang.
Chen said the NCC did not schedule a one-time shutdown of the analog system for fear of causing widespread problems.
The phased system will give the NCC enough time to fix any problems that may occur, he said.
The changeover to a digital broadcasting system will free up bandwidth and provide high-definition television services, according to the NCC website.
A total of 120,000 registered low-income families will receive free converter boxes, in an effort to help them make the changeover, the NCC said.
Neighboring Japan and Hong Kong have already achieved a 100 percent digitization rate.
