Hong Kong viewers will be able to enjoy digital television broadcasts by 2007 at the latest, after the government gave Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) and Asia Television Limited (ATV) the right to beam programmes to viewers using the technology.
Under terms of the licences, TVB and ATV must begin transmitting digital signals in tandem with their existing analogue service by 2007, the South China Morning Post reports.
The two broadcasters will also be allocated spectrum to launch high-definition TV services, which allow for higher resolution than standard televisions.
TVB and ATV are also required to extend their digital network coverage to 75 percent of Hong Kong by the end of 2008.
If a national standard for digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcasting has not been established on the mainland before the end of 2006, the government said it will let the market decide on the selection of the technical standard.
Both broadcasters have indicated that they will adopt the European DVB-T technical standard for digital broadcasting by 2006 to encourage the introduction of DTT services in the territory.