OFCA appeals to property owners and managers to arrange for reconfiguration of their common antenna broadcast distribution systems as early as possible

     Six digital TV programme channels in Hong Kong will use new transmitting frequencies starting from 0.00am on December 1 this year. Property owners and managers should engage contractors to reconfigure the common antenna broadcast distribution (CABD) systems in their buildings as early as possible. Otherwise, residents may not be able to continue receiving the TV programme channels concerned after 0.00am on December 1.
 
     The six digital TV programme 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. The transmitting frequencies of other digital TV programme channels (i.e. 76, 77, 82, 83, 84 and 85) will remain unchanged.
 
     "At present, there are less than 20 per cent of households in private buildings with CABD systems completed the necessary reconfiguration work. If a large number of property owners or managers wait until the last one or two months before the deadline to make the necessary arrangements, contractors may not be able to cope with the surge of demand and complete the reconfiguration work on time due to manpower constraints. To ensure that residents would not have their TV reception interrupted, property owners and managers of buildings with CABD systems that are not yet reconfigured should make the arrangements as early as possible," a spokesman for the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) said.
 
     The spokesman said that upon completion of CABD system reconfiguration, property owners and managers should, based on the advice of the contractors concerned, inform residents whether they will need to rescan for TV programme channels on their digital TV receivers. Property managers should also pay attention to the elderly, ethnic minorities and other residents with special needs, and provide them with appropriate assistance if necessary.
 
     Households using self-provided antennae, including residents of village houses, bungalows and old tenement buildings, do not need to adjust their digital TV receivers or antennae at this stage. These residents will need to rescan for TV programme channels on their digital TV receivers only if they cannot receive any of the above-mentioned six TV programme channels after 0.00am on December 1.
                  
     For details about the channel migration, please visit OFCA's thematic webpage (www.ofca.gov.hk/channel_migration) or contact the hotline at 2961 6333 for enquiries. For the reference guide on rescanning for digital TV programme channels, please refer to the following link: www.ofca.gov.hk/en/consumer_focus/guide/hot_topics/migration_of_dtt_programme_channels/reference_guide/index.html.