The New Taipei City government yesterday announced that it would shut down its analog cable television services by the end of this month, following collaboration between the public and the private sector.
New Taipei City Deputy Mayor Hou Yu-yi (侯友宜) made the announcement at a ceremony yesterday.
“The digital cable service will function as another type of broadband service, allowing digital cable television to evolve and become a ‘smart’ platform, making it possible for people to obtain public information instantly and to access more interactive services,” Hou said.
Photo: CNA
Apart from providing outpatient clinic schedules and tele-healthcare, Hou said digital cable service would also enable the city to monitor the situation at district offices and schools during the rain and typhoon seasons, so that the city can quickly respond when water levels in rivers rise or when flooding is reported on school campuses.
The city’s Department of Information chief Chang Chi-chiang (張其強) said people would not only be able to watch high-definition programs though digital cable, but they would also be able to receive information in more reliably.
The service also has a smart recording function and can connect with various mobile devices, Chang said, adding that residents could access a video-on-demand function as well as other public resources.
The National Communications Commission (NCC) is aiming to completely turn off analog cable signals by the end of this year.
The counties of Hsinchu, Miaoli, Changhua, Yunlin and Chiayi, as well as Tainan, have already turned off their analog cable signals as the cable service operators in these areas have made the switch.
NCC Commissioner Jason Ho (何吉森) said that it took the government nearly 20 years to raise digital cable’s penetration rate to 99 percent, adding that it would work with all local governments to expedite the digitalization process.
The last mile is always the toughest part of the journey, Ho said, adding that it remains the commission’s goal to fully digitize the nation’s cable services by the end of the year.
“The nation will in any case be one step closer to our goal with the progress made in New Taipei City,” Ho said.
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