VietNamNet Bridge - Analogue TV service is expected to stop within two months in Da Nang  However, it is still unclear if the plan can be fulfilled because of the short supply of set top boxes (STBs) in the market.

Digital TV service providers and STB suppliers have launched DVB-T2 standard STB products into the market, but they have not promoted sales. 

There are few distribution agents that sell STBs in large cities like Hanoi and HCM City. It is now easier to look to purchase products with unclear origin than genuine products.

Most enterprises have been importing STBs instead of making products domestically. The Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) has confirmed that there are few STB manufacturers; therefore, there are not many choices for customers.

Doan Quang Hoan from MIC said big enterprises want to make STBs for domestic sale, but they fear their products would be uncompetitive with unofficially imported products and products with unclear origin because of the products’ low prices.

An analyst said a genuine product has a selling price at about VND800,000, while products imported through unofficial channels are sold at VND400,000 only.

VTV Broadcom’s and Hanel Electronics’ products have been available in the market, but in small quantities. It is expected that the products of VNPT Technology and other joint stock companies would hit the market in several days.

The analyst thinks that domestic STB manufacturers would launch their products into the market when the State sends out invitations for STB procurement bids. 

The State announced before that it would provide free STBs to the poor in a VND1.71 trillion program. And it is the big cake that domestic manufacturers target.

François Rancy from ITU said at a workshop on TV digitalization held in HCM City late last week that in some European countries, people only buy STB at the last minute. He thinks that the same scenario would happen in Vietnam. 

This means that STB manufacturers and importers will wait because they hope the demand will increase sharply in the last days of analogue TV.

An analyst said enterprises would begin importing products or placing orders with manufacturers in early June or July, when Da Nang city and Quang Tri province stop providing analogue TV.

Sources said VNPT Technology plans to churn out thousands of DVB-T2 STBs prior to the time when southern and central provinces stop analogue TV.

In general, big enterprises would still begin their production after receiving orders from the State.

It is expected that 1 million STBs would be needed from now to the end of the year. With the average price of VND600,000-700,000, manufacturers and importers would earn VND600-700 billion.

TBKTSG