Singapore hopes to be an early leader in deploying 3-D TV technology in Asia, and the Media Development Authority (MDA) is preparing to launch a 3-D trial in September with satellite links likely to play a key role in involving the maritime sector in the trial.

The trial will involve terrestrial, cable and IPTV service providers, and “SingTel Satellite shared that the best way to reach the shipping crews is via satellite links,” Lim Chin Siang, director, IT and technology for the MDA, told the CommunicAsia E-Daily. “It is highly likely that satellite is one of the best way to provide and broadband services to the seafaring crews to alleviate their boredom. Used in this manner, satellite is productive and effective. Satellite is a very effective means of transmitting video, voice and data anywhere.”

Lim feels that the time is right to conduct the trial due to the gain in popularity in 3-D technology in the United States. “Recent research has shown that 100,000 3-D-enabled TVs were sold within a week of launch. … 2010 is the year for 3-D TV. Avatar has lead the way, and we hope to ride with the momentum to develop capabilities earlier than our competitors.”

The 3-D trial will begin in the third quarter and run for an undetermined amount of time. “An open standard for the transmission format of 3-D content has yet to be decided. It is best to test out a few formats,” Lim said.

Lim believes Singapore has the infrastructure in place to bring 3-D TV to households very quickly. “We have very high broadband penetration in Singapore. We are now moving forward to develop our fiber network. SingTel and StarHub are major players. The fiber will reach 60 percent of the population by the end of the year. With fiber in place, it will be easier to move to 3-D. You need to have 3-D equipment, content, etc. I think both the people and industry are ready for this,” he says.

The take-up of 3-D TV services in Singapore could be every bit strong as the take-up of HD services. “Based on our experience with HDTV, we have discovered that whenever you launch something new, around 10 percent of the population wants to try the service straight away. There is very strong early adoption of new services. We believe that the take-up of 3-D TV will be strong. We think word of mouth will have a strong impact here. As long as the content is well done, we don’t think people would mind wearing glasses in the home, especially as the new 3-D glasses are getting lighter and more comfortable,” says Lim.

SingTel, the country’s largest telco, also is excited about the prospects for 3-D TV. “We are closely monitoring the developments in the industry while exploring the available options with our partners and content providers. 3-D technology is definitely something that we look forward to bringing to our customers.

“Separately, as the official Multimedia Services Partner of the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games, SingTel is looking at hosting public screenings of the Youth Olympic Games at venues such as the City Celebration Sites. This will enable an even larger audience to watch the competition, and will be facilitated by the use of large screens where spectators can gather round to cheer for their teams and experience the spirit and atmosphere of the games. We are exploring the possibility of using cutting-edge 3-D technology to enhance the experience at these events,” a SingTel source told the COMMUNICASIA E-DAILY.

Lim predicts exciting times for TV broadcasters and viewers in Singapore. “It has always been our intention that Singapore would be some kind of media hub in the region, both in terms of HDTV and 3-D TV. A 3-D image also provides more information than a 2-D image. It won’t be long before 3-D TV receivers are embedded in televisions or set-top boxes or playback devices. When that happens, watching 3-D TV content will become a norm. We want to signal to the industry that we are very keen to move into 3-D production.  The production of 3-D content might well be a great way to create more jobs,” he says.