About 9.7% of Hong Kong households are watching digital terrestrial television, showing digital TV is well received by the public, Acting Permanent Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Alan Siu says.

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the extension of the digital terrestrial television coverage today, Mr Siu said a survey conducted in end-May showed that about 218,000 families are watching digital TV through digital TV receivers or computers.

"The DTT take-up rate in most of the advanced economies does not exceed 5% in the first year of launch, while that of Hong Kong has reached nearly 10% just six months after the launch," Mr Siu said.

Following the extension of the coverage and launching of the Olympic Games programmes by the two free-to-air broadcasters, it is expected that more people will switch to DTT, he added.

Service expansion

With six new transmitting stations coming into service, the coverage of free digital terrestrial television broadcasting will be extended to all 18 districts, reaching 75% of the population by early August.

A recent survey found 6,300 of 10,000 buildings will have their communal aerial broadcast distribution systems upgraded to receive digital TV signals by early August, the Office of the Telecommunications Authority said.

The office has upgraded its online database covering details of the additional coverage areas that can receive digital TV signals. Information on whether the communal aerial broadcast distribution system of a particular building has been upgraded.

For more information on DTT broadcasting, call 2961 6333 or click here.