Dear Editor,

THE National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) has noticed several letters written by Mr. Tony Vieira appearing in the daily newspapers. The most recent letter appeared in the December 9, 2016 edition of the Stabroek News, and it was titled “We do not have to go digital”.

We feel compelled to respond for two main reasons: this is a national issue, and Mr. Tony Vieira speaks while he is a member of the Board of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) and Chairman of the Licensing, Fees and Legal Matters Sub-committee of the GNBA Board.

Let us state clearly that the statements made by the board member constitute attacks on the NFMU, are dishonest, far removed from reality, and even violate the protocols of the Board of the GNBA.

The flurry of attacks began in May of this year. We are compelled to issue a public response now, since it appears that the board is welcoming to the idea of dealing with Mr. Vieira. We will deal specifically with technical matters on which the NFMU has a direct mandate. We do not wish to detail arguments about Mr. Vieira’s competence or lack thereof.

Guyana must embrace digital technology if we, as a country, are to move forward. The television broadcasting sector is one of the areas that have benefited from the rapid advancement in technology. The global transition from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting started several years ago. The developed world and many developing countries have already completed the transition, or are actively in the process of transitioning.

Digital terrestrial television (DTT) not only delivers superior quality services compared to analogue broadcasting, but is also much more spectrum-efficient. In this Information Age, where the limited radio spectrum is increasingly becoming scarcer, efficiency in its use is a key element in the success of a business, and ultimately the development of a country. In addition to its technical superiority to analogue TV, Digital TV is inevitable; unless, of course, any country or operator wishes to remain anchored in the past, in mediocrity, and manufactures analogue TV transmitters and receivers for their own use, since OEMs will cease to produce analogue equipment sometime in the future.

Mr. Vieira’s statement that “The evidence is that one man, Valmikki Singh, is making this decision (to go digital) for all of us…” is false.
The Government of Guyana was offered, and accepted, assistance from the International Telecommunication Union (funding was provided by the Republic of Korea) to develop a roadmap for the transition from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting in Guyana. The ITU identified and hired an expert, Dr. Andres Navarro, to assist Guyana in developing the roadmap. A National Roadmap Team comprising representatives of the GNBA, GNBS, MTIC, GRA, NCN, the Guyana Consumers Association and the NFMU was established in 2013. Public consultations as well as consultations with TV broadcasters on the development of the roadmap for the transition to digital terrestrial television (DTT) were held in July 2013 and January 2014.

In November 2014, Cabinet approved the final draft report being used by the Government of Guyana in its activities to transition from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting.
This final report was delivered to the NFMU in January 2016, and was promptly sent to the Ministry of Public Telecommunications for discussion and further action. The NFMU sent copies of the Roadmap Report to the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority in February 2016, and this report was subsequently sent to all board members in early April, 2016.

In its letter to the GNBA, the NFMU proposed to meet at mutually convenient times to discuss the implications, impact, and actions necessary as a result of the imminent transition to DTT (this was also expressed to the Board). To date, there has been no response to NFMU’s request to meet.

Mr. Vieira had the Roadmap Report for the transition to DTT for approximately eight months. He did nothing with it, but now states boldly that Guyana does not have to go digital. This is the kind of unprofessionalism and recklessness that will stymie and retard the development of the Broadcasting, Telecom and ICT sectors in Guyana. It is unbelievable that in this day and age of computers, tablets, smart TVs and the Internet, we have to still debate the benefits of digital over analogue.

DEFINITION OF BROADCASTING
The current definition of broadcasting, as contained in the Broadcasting Act 2011 and later included in the Telecommunications Act 2016, is just fine. Mr. Vieira’s proposed definition of broadcasting is nothing short of Jurassic. It does not consider convergence, new technologies such as over-the-top services, the various platforms that provide television services/programs etc. There are several other areas in which the truth has become alien to Mr. Vieira’s ramblings; the paper does not have enough space to print them, but here are just two:

1: He claims there is no spectrum left to offer a competitor of E-Networks Inc. There are sixteen (16) UHF channels (between ch.14 and 50) in the Georgetown area that have not been assigned. Many more channels are available in outlying areas.

2: He wants to know why channels 51 to 83 are not available for broadcasting in Guyana, and claims: “…after months of delay and grandstanding by the NFMU, I was told that it was not our business.” This is not true. On several occasions, I informed the GNBA Board (which included Mr. Vieira) that channels 51 to 83 are referred to as the digital dividend (spectrum released worldwide as a result of the transition from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting) and are meant to be used primarily for mobile communications. The Board was informed that the users within this band include the mobile operators and trunked radio users.

FORWARD LOOKING, OR TRAPPED IN A TIME WARP?
It is indeed unfortunate that a prominent member of the GNBA Board, Mr. Tony Vieira, wishes to keep Guyana rooted in the 1980s from a technological standpoint. Analogue technology was prominent then; not now. Analogue terrestrial television broadcasting is antiquated and inefficient.

CONCLUSION
Unless Guyana follows the trend of technological advancement and employs and utilizes modern technologies such as DTT, its goals of poverty reduction, better livelihoods for its citizens, achievement of the sustainable development goals etc. cannot be realized.

The NFMU is committed to working with the GNBA, its Board, and indeed all stakeholders in advancing the broadcasting and telecom/ICT sectors for the benefit of all Guyanese.

VALMIKKI SINGH
Managing Director
National Frequency Management Unit