Digital Broadcasting Equipment

 

Malaysia

Overview                                                                                            

 

                                                  2004            2005              2006 (estimates)

Total Market Size                      1873             1885             2014

Total Local Production                    9                 12                  14

Total Exports                             2325            2527              3000

Total Imports                             4189            4400              5000

            *Unofficial estimates generated by the Commercial Service in Kuala Lumpur

            Figures given in U.S. dollars in millions.  Exchange rate: U.S. $1= RM 3.66 (Ringgit Malaysia)

 

·            Malaysia’s Free-To-Air (FTA) broadcasting, currently in analogue format, consists of six stations. Media Prima Bhd owns four stations and the other two are state-owned. As to pay TV, there are currently three providers (Astro, MiTV, and Fine TV).

 

·           Public TV station, RTM starts digital TV trials in September 2006. It plans to be fully digitized by 2010. Major cities in Peninsular Malaysia will be in the first trench for rollout, followed by East Malaysia. 

 

·           RTM selected DVB-T as the transmission standard for its trials, as Malaysia historically uses the PAL system.

 

·           97% of Malaysian households have access to FTA TV and radio. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission’s (MCMC) target is to achieve 99% household penetration by 2007.

 

Best Products/Services    

 

·           The outlook for US manufacturers for the following equipment is strong: set-top decoder boxes, transmitters, encoders, multiplexes, automation systems, studio TV cameras, video servers, Digital Transmitters for Digital Video Broadcast –Terrestrial (DVB-T), and DVB-H (Handheld), microwave system, Television Receive Only (TVRO) equipment and earth stations.

 

·           RTM views DTTB as a way to fight competition from satellite, other multi-channel pay TV stations, and video on demand (VoD) stations. Interactive digital solutions will be in demand.

 

Opportunities                                

 

·           US$21 million has been set aside for Radio Television Malaysia’s (RTM) pilot analogue to digital broadcasting transition project involving 1000 homes. US$132 million is the estimated allocation for the full fledge nationwide RTM digital transition. A further US$10.5 million will be allocated for replacement of studio equipment.

 

·           The RTM pilot project will encompass upgrading the transmission center and installing digital transmitters.  The nationwide rollout will predominantly involve digital transmitters.  Studio equipment replacement will include studio TV cameras, and video servers.

 

·           MiTV will need Digital Transmitters for Digital Video Broadcast –Terrestrial (DVB-T), DVB-H (Handheld), microwave systems, Television Receive Only (TVRO) equipment and earth station equipment in the next eighteen months. New digital broadcasts may increase demand for digital receiver set-top-boxes.

 

Resources                         

 

ASEAN Communications & Multimedia Expo 2007: www.ambexpo.com.my

Commercial Service Webcast on ICT sector: www.buyusa.gov/malaysia

Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission: www.mcmc.gov.my

Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications: www.ktkm.gov.my

Malaysian Energy Commission: www.st.gov.my

SIRIM Bhd: www.sirim.my

For more information contact Commercial Specialist Tracy Yeoh.