Guyana must embrace digital technology if we are to move forward

Dear Editor, The National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) has noticed several letters in the daily newspapers, by Mr Tony Vieira. The most recent letter appeared in the December 9, edition of the Stabroek News titled ‘We do not have to go digital.’

We feel compelled to respond for two main reasons: this is a national issue and Mr Vieira speaks while he is a member of the Board of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) and Chairman of the licensing, fees and legal matters sub-committee of the GNBA Board.

Let us state clearly, statements made by the board member constitute attacks on the NFMU, are dishonest, far removed from reality and even violate the protocols of the Board of the GNBA.

The flurry of attacks began in May of this year. We are compelled to issue a public response now since it appears that the board is welcoming to the idea of dealing with Mr Vieira. We will deal specifically with technical matters over which the NFMU has a direct mandate. We do not wish to detail arguments about Mr Vieira’s competence or lack thereof.

Guyana must embrace digital technology if we are to move forward.

The television broadcasting sector has been one of the areas that has been benefiting from the rapid advancement in technology. The global transition from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting started several years ago. The developed world and many developing countries have already completed the transition or are actively in the process of the transition.

Digital terrestrial television (DTT) not only delivers superior quality services, as compared to analogue broadcasting, but it also is much more spectrum efficient. In this information age, where the limited radio spectrum is increasingly becoming scarcer, efficiency in its use is a key element in the success of a business and ultimately the development of a country.

In addition to its technical superiority to analogue TV, Digital TV is inevitable. Unless, of course, any country or operator, wishes to remain anchored in the past, in mediocrity and manufacture analogue TV transmitters and receivers for their own use since, OEMs will cease to produce analogue equipment some time in the future.

Mr Vieira’s statement that, “The evidence is that one man, Valmikki Singh is making this decision [to go digital] for all of us...” is false.

The Government of Guyana was offered and accepted assistance from the International Telecommunication Union (funding was provided by the Republic of Korea) to develop a roadmap for the transition from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting in Guyana.

The ITU identified and hired an expert, Dr Andres Navarro to assist Guyana in developing the roadmap. A national roadmap team, comprising representatives of the GNBA, GNBS, MTIC, GRA, NCN, the Guyana Consumers Association and the NFMU was established in 2013. Public consultations as well as consultations with TV broadcasters on the development of the roadmap for the transition to digital terrestrial television (DTT) were held in July 2013 and January 2014.

In November 2014, Cabinet approved the final draft report being used by the Government of Guyana in its activities to transition from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting.

This final report was delivered to the NFMU in January 2016. This was promptly sent to the Ministry of Public Telecommunications for discussion and further action. The NFMU sent copies of the Roadmap Report to the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority in February

2016, which were subsequently sent to all board members in early April, 2016.

In its letter to the GNBA, the NFMU proposed to meet at mutually convenient times to discuss the implications, impact and actions necessary as a result of the imminent transition to DTT (this was also expressed to the board). To date, there has been no response to NFMU’s request to meet.

Mr Vieira had the roadmap report for the transition to DTT for approximately 8 months, did nothing with it but now states boldly that Guyana does not have to go digital. This is the kind of unprofessionalism and recklessness that will stymie and retard the development of the broadcasting, telecom and ICT sectors in Guyana. It is unbelievable that in this day and age of computers, tablets, smart TVs and the Internet, we have to still debate the benefits of digital over analogue. Definition of broadcasting. The current definition of broadcasting, as contained in the Broadcasting Act 2011 and later included in the Telecommunications Act 2016 is just fine. Mr Vieira’s proposed definition of broadcasting is nothing short of Jurassic. It does not consider convergence, new technologies such as over the top services, the various platforms that provide television services/programmes, etc. There are several other areas in which the truth has become alien to Mr Vieira’s ramblings; the paper does not have enough space to print them but here are just two:

1. He claims there is no spectrum left to offer a competitor of E-Networks Inc ‒ There are sixteen UHF channels (between ch14-50) in the Georgetown area that have not been assigned. Many more channels are available in outlying areas.

2. He wants to know why channels 51-83 are not available for broadcasting in Guyana and claims: “...after months of delay and grandstanding by the NFMU, I was told that it was not our business.” This is not true. On several occasions, I informed the GNBA Board (which included Mr Vieira) that channels 5183 are referred to as the digital dividend (spectrum released worldwide as a result of the transition from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting) and are meant to be used primarily for mobile communications. The board was informed that the users within this band included the mobile operators and trunked radio users.

It is indeed unfortunate that a prominent member of the GNBA Board, in Mr Tony Vieira, wishes to keep Guyana rooted in the 1980s, from a technological standpoint. Analogue technology was prominent then. Not now. Analogue terrestrial television broadcasting is antiquated and inefficient.

Unless Guyana follows the trend of technological advancement and employs and utilizes modern technologies such as DTT, then its goals of poverty reduction, better livelihoods for its citizens, achievement of the sustainable development goals, etc, cannot be realized.

The NFMU is committed to working with the GNBA, its board and indeed all stakeholders, in advancing the broadcasting and telecom/ICT sectors for the benefit of all Guyanese.

Yours faithfully, Valmikki Singh Managing Director National Frequency Management Unit