BEIJING: China plans to make digital TV, popular because of its high-resolution images, available to everyone by 2010, the state media said.
 

In seven years' time, all cable TV broadcasting in China will be in digital mode and existing analog broadcasts will be terminated by 2015, the Xinhua news agency reported, citing government sources.

An official with the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television told Xinhua that China initiated a large-scale promotion of digital cable TV this year.

So far, 25 cities have begun digital cable TV broadcasting on a trial basis, 19 of which have started digital pay-TV channels. Traditional analog television uses radio wave signals but digital TV uses the language of computers, allowing for sharper pictures and sound and much bigger volume for programs.