85 percent of the Malaysian population can expect better quality pictures and sound and can watch local
free-to-air (FTA) television in high definition (HD) by April next year, said Puncak Semangat Sdn Bhd Director Datuk Hilmi Mohd Noor.

The benefits of digital TV will be enjoyed first by viewers in Peninsular Malaysia's east coast, once phase one of the digital terrestrial TV (DTT) project rolls out for Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan in January 2015, he said.

Phase two, covering Sabah and Sarawak, is expected to be rolled out in February, followed by phase three for Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor.

The country's switchover to digital broadcasting will be completed in April 2016 with phase four, covering Selangor, the Klang Valley, Putrajaya and all capital cities and suburban towns, Hilmi said at the launch of the DTT services here today by Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

Malaysians will only require a set-top box which enables any TV set to receive digital signals, said Project Director Nik Abdul Aziz Yaacob.

The device will cost about RM200, although the company has not finalised the price, he said.

The company will give away two million set-top boxes inclusive of portable indoor antennas to selected rural households as part of its plans to initiate the country’s switchover to digital broadcasting, he said.

Recipients will be selected from the e-Kasih and 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) databases, he said, adding that the gifts are as stipulated in the company's tender document to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Puncak Semangat was awarded a 15-year concession by the MCMC to develop DTT infrastructure and network facilities.

With the award, the country's remaining free-to-air (FTA) broadcasters will have to move to a fully digital platform, which allows broadcasters to provide more television and radio channels than the current analogue platforms.

"They will have the opportunity to launch new and niche channels, and potentially generate new or additional revenue via pay TV channels," he said.

Puncak Semangat targets DTT to reach every household in Malaysia by end-2016, giving Malaysians better quality pictures and sound as well as access to more FTA channels and interactive TV services including home shopping, on-demand, subscription and selected internet services, he added.