Kominfo Asks for Free Digital TV Set Top Boxes to be Distributed by Juli

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —

Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) stated that he would encourage Private TV Providers (LPS) to distribute free Set Top Boxes (STB) to people in need. Television companies as MUX organizers were asked to commit to distributing supporting STBs digital tv.

Director of Broadcasting at the Directorate General of Post and Information Technology at the Ministry of Communications and Informatics, Geryantika Kurnia, revealed that STB is one of the important components to support the success of digital television in Indonesia.

“The STB has a clause in the Government Regulation and the Ministerial Regulation. First, the STB comes from the MUX organizer. [merupakan] their commitment to being a mux organizer with the success of winning the mux selection they are committed to STB. So we encourage this STB to be distributed immediately,” said Geryantika at a virtual event, Wednesday (23/6).

It is hoped that the distribution of free STB will target some poor families who cannot afford additional devices, so that they can watch digital broadcasts.

“Alhamdulillah, we have discussed with industry friends, hopefully in the first stage on August 17, this July we will distribute it to poor families,” he concluded.

He explained that the price of STB devices sold in the market starts from Rp. 150 thousand, the price is getting more expensive depending on the brand and type.

“The market price of this STB is only 150 thousand. Imagine people now spend a month on credit? I counted 200-300 thousand, this STB is only 150 thousand. Cheap? It’s cheap, obviously,” he said.

Present virtually Vice President Broadcast Operations Trans TV, Wawan Julianto explained that the distribution of the gotong royong STB was waiting for the finalization of the number of devices that had to be distributed.

“Of course Transmedia is committed to working together to provide STB for the poor. The amount is still in the process of being counted, now waiting for finalization [penghitungan],” said Wawan at a virtual event, Wednesday (23/6).

Citing data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), currently explained by Wawan, there are approximately 6.8 million poor families who will be subsidized by the government and LPS in order to obtain STB equipment.

Wawan explained that from the data of 6.8 million poor families, there were still people who did not have a TV set. So, later on, the only families who will be given free STB assistance will be those who have a TV.

“Of this 6.8 million, of course there are still households that do not have a TV, but the assumption is that those who are assisted have a TV,” he concluded.

Previously, Kominfo planned to provide 6.7 million STB for the poor to support the analog TV migration project to Digital TV.

Minister of Communication and Information Johnny G. Plate said there are still people who still use TV receivers that are not digital yet. STB devices are needed so that people can enjoy digital broadcasts.

Even so, Johhny did not explain in detail when and where the STB plan would be distributed.

Johnny further said that almost 90 percent of countries in the world have stopped broadcasting analog television. He said analog broadcasting was very wasteful of radio frequency bands, energy, and the display and features were less than optimal.

(can / mik)

[Gambas:Video CNN]

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