Six existing digital TV programme channels will use new transmitting frequencies from December 1. The public is reminded to make preparations for the continued reception of such channels.

The Office of the Communications Authority made the appeal today.

The six channels involved are Jade 81 of Television Broadcasts Limited, ViuTVsix 96 and ViuTV 99 of HK Television Entertainment Company Limited and RTHK TV 31, RTHK TV 32 and RTHK TV 33 of Radio Television Hong Kong.

They are currently using transmission frequencies in the 600/700 MHz bands. After the switching off of analogue television services on November 30, 2020, transmissions on these frequencies will cease and be migrated to the 500 MHz band to vacate spectrum for high value-added mobile telecommunications services including 5G, enhancing network capacity and coverage, and relieving the currently congested indoor mobile telecommunications hotspots such as MTR stations.

The Government plans to assign the relevant spectrum by the end of this year to support Hong Kong's overall telecommunications services and smart city development.

To allow sufficient time for owners or property managers of public housing estates, private residential buildings or estates and multi-storey buildings to arrange for the necessary antenna reception system reconfiguration, the six channels will be broadcast on both the existing and new transmitting frequencies from April 1 to November 30.

When the digital simulcast ends on December 1, such channels will be broadcast on the new transmitting frequencies only and the channel numbers will remain the same.

The authority said building owners should get prepared for engaging contractors to reconfigure their systems during the digital simulcast period to ensure that the households of their buildings can continue to receive the TV channels concerned.

Property managers may need to inform their residents or users to rescan the channels on their digital terrestrial television receivers upon completion of the reconfiguration work.

For households using self-provided antennae, including residents of village houses, bungalows and old tenement buildings, they generally do not need to upgrade their receiving antennae. If they are not able to receive any of the affected channels after midnight on December 1, they can rescan the programme channels.

To raise the public's understanding of the channel migration and preparatory work required, the authority will launch a series of publicity programmes.

It will issue letters to building management offices, incorporated owners of buildings and other parties maintaining or operating antenna reception systems, put up posters and distribute flyers at public housing estates and private residential buildings or estates and launch TV and radio announcements.

The authority will also provide further information and assistance to households using self-provided antennae in the second half of this year.

Click here for details and call 2961 6333 for enquiries.