Above: AI generated image by m5x5/123rf.com

The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT), in collaboration with the four free-to-air television service providers CCN TV6, Parliament TV, CNC3 and TTT, launched the digital terrestrial television signal using an ATSC 3.0 demonstration station installed at Express House on Thursday 05 December, 2024.

The demonstration station will be installed for 6 months, ending in May 2025.

TATT also hosted a three-day workshop at Express House, which provided a comprehensive overview of ATSC 3.0 technology, its benefits and implications for the broadcasting industry and viewers in Trinidad and Tobago.

Mr. Aaron Simon, Manager Licensing (Ag.) at TATT, presented on the readiness of the free-to-air television broadcasting sector and the planned digital switch-on for late 2025 and a phased analogue switch-off which terminates in mid-2027. Experts in ATSC 3.0 deployments, Mr. Mike Schmidt of Heartland Video Systems and Mr. Raj Patel of Yotta Media, covered topics that included:

• Datacasting, which is the transmission of data to an infinite number of devices, for use cases such as e-learning.
• Advanced emergency alert feature which allows broadcasters to send information on emergencies to televisions and other receivers, including the possibility of a wake-up signal to power-on receivers in stand-by mode during serious emergencies.
• Targeted advertising to reach different market segments
• Viewership measurement and analytics

The transition of free-to-air television from analogue to digital will bring an enhanced quality of service to consumers, including up to 4K high-definition resolution video, access to electronic programming guides, interactive viewing, and immersive audio.

ATSC 3.0 is a contemporary IP-based television broadcasting standard that allows the free-to-air broadcasting sector to improve its service to a level that is on par with cable and streaming television.

Free-to-air television stations CCN TV6, TTT, Parliament TV and CNC3 are the HD stations available on the demonstration system on Ultra High Frequency (UHF) channel 24 to viewers with an antenna and a television that is ATSC 3.0 compatible. Additionally, viewers can use their television to listen to sounds from Taj 92.3 and Hott93, two FM radio stations.