Malaysia completes DTT switchover, launches myFreeview

Malaysia has completed its digital TV switchover.

To facilitate this, the Malayssian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has launched a new DTT platform branded as myFreeview Digital Broadcast. This new platform has seen the number of free-to-air TV channels increased by more than double.

The Analogue Switch Off (ASO) started in Langkawi in July, with the entire country being switched over by the end of October. 

DTT started transmitting in 2016, with MYTV sanctioned by the Malaysian government to build and operate the infrastructure. The company’s digital multimedia broadcasting hub is equipped with Sofia Digital’s DVB headend technology.

The new setup allows people in the country to experience HDTV free-to-air channels for the first time and includes digital services from public TV and radio broadcasters RTM, Media Prima, TV Al Hijrah, Bernama News Channel (BNC) and home shopping. MYTV said that more channels will be added “in due course”.

The company also touted the fact that the switch from analogue to digital will also free up the 700MHz spectrum for mobile connectivity.