The deadline to switch from analogue to digital TV for Thimphu residents has been extended by two weeks. In September last year, BICMA announced the switch would be complete by this month.
BICMA says the move is to facilitate and support technology innovation as per the provisions of the Information, Communications and Media Act 2018.
In the National Assembly on Friday, the Boomdeling-Jamkhar MP raised concerns over the matter. He said compelling people to make the switch in such a short span of time is not fair.
“Calling on some 40,000 people to switch to digital TV within a short span of time would cause inconveniences. Advocacy programmes do not seem to have reached many people,” MP Dupthob said.
He added in the last three months only 10,000 households in Thimphu have switched to digital TV. There are around 40,000 households that own television sets in the capital.
MP Dupthob said shutting down of analogue signals would also deprive the public of their right to information. He said it also puts the people under pressure to buy HD TV sets.
The information and communications minister said the Association of Bhutanese Cable Operators, ABCO, approached the ministry on 31 December.
The ministry then held a meeting with ABCO and BICMA following which a new deadline was given.
“The reason we gave extra time is because we need time to discuss how to solve the issues raised today,” Minister Karma Donnen Wangdi said.
The minister informed the house that ABCO has written to BICMA and that the ministry is waiting for BICMA’s decision to decide further course of action on the matter.
