President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has officially launched the Digital Terrestrial Transmission Broadcasting Network Development Project. The project was launched during a special ceremony held on March 29 at Public Service Media (PSM).
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Managing Director of PSM Ali Khalid said the project would bring an end to the days of analog signals, and begin a new era of digital broadcasting technology. As such, the managing director said the project would enable TV signals to be transmitted in high-definition to all parts of the world. He noted at the end of the project, 90% of the Maldivian population can access 8 local channels free of charge, at HD quality.
Speaking further, Managing Director Khalid stated the project would also enable information on natural disasters and other important information to be transmitted live through data. He clarified that this would mean automatic alerts would be sent to TVs during a disaster, even if the TV is not switched on.
The Digital Terrestrial Transmission Broadcasting Network Development Project is carried out under the aid of the Government of Japan. The project, worth over USD20 million, is expected to be completed in 2024.