MM homes switching to digital TV – survey

Nearly three-fourths of non-cabled homes in Metro Manila have switched to digital terrestrial television, broadcast giant ABS-CBN Corp. said, citing results of a recent survey conducted by Kantar Media.

ABS-CBN said the survey conducted in August showed that 71.6 percent of non-cabled homes in Metro Manila have an ABS-CBN TVplus box, compared to 55 percent in the same month in 2017.

Meanwhile, non-cabled homes in Mega Manila that are using ABS-CBN TVplus rose to 64.7 percent from 44 percent in the same period last year.

“A growing number of Filipinos are now watching television via digital terrestrial TV,” ABS-CBN said.

The Kantar Media survey indicated that the biggest growth in digital terrestrial TV penetration is in the suburbs, with 57 percent or more than half of non-cabled homes in the area watching television using an ABS-CBN TVplus box, compared to only 33 percent in August 2017.

“The continuous migration of viewers from analog to digital shows their eagerness to enjoy the life-changing benefits of ABS-CBN TVplus that include clear TV viewing, crisp sound, more exclusive channels, and an affordable pay-per-view service with no monthly fees,” the TV network said.

With the growing number of Filipinos shifting to digital terrestrial TV, ABS-CBN said it has sold 6.1 million TVplus units as of Oct. 10 since the product’s launch in 2015.

ABS-CBN said it is rapidly transitioning into an agile digital company as it leads the country’s departure from analog following the government’s mandate for all broadcasting companies to migrate to digital TV before 2023.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology launched last year its Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting migration plan which aims to have 95 percent of the country’s households switch to digital television by 2023.

ABS-CBN, for its part, is continuously expanding TVplus’ signal coverage areas that currently include Metro Manila, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Rizal, Laguna, Pampanga, Tarlac, Benguet, Cavite, Metro Cebu, Cagayan De Oro, Iloilo, Bacolod, and Davao.

ABS-CBN TVplus offers free TV channels as well as exclusive channels.