FBC Digital TV: A Band III DVB-T2 Proof of Concept

The two GatesAir transmitters converted to DVB-T2 for FBC
Fijian Broadcasting Corporation logoPacific Multimedia Academy logo

Client: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation (FBC)
Location: Nakobalevu (Suva) and Sabeto (Nadi and Lautoka), Fiji
Timeline: 2025 to 2026, installed February 2026
Services: System design, transmitter upgrade to DVB-T2, head end and antenna system supply, workshop testing, installation and commissioning

The tower at Nakobalevu, which serves Suva
The tower at Nakobalevu, which serves Suva

The brief

In November 2025, the Fijian Broadcasting Corporation approached us to design and build a proof of concept for a VHF Band III DVB-T2 digital television system.

The system complements the existing digital television network run by Walesi, and it has two purposes. It gives FBC’s Pacific Multimedia Academy a working digital TV transmission system for training engineers and operators, and it gives FBC a ready-to-go disaster recovery option for its television service.

Reusing what FBC already had

In 2022 we supplied FBC with GatesAir transmitters as analogue replacements, chosen because they could later be upgraded to digital. For this project the transmitters came back to our Auckland workshop, where we converted them to DVB-T2.

The Appear TV head end on the bench
The Appear TV head end on the bench

We sourced the Appear TV DVB-T2 head end and bench-tested it with the converted transmitters, from encoding right through to a decoded picture. We also sourced the Aldena antenna systems, which were shipped directly to Fiji for installation.

Bench testing: the DVB-T2 signal on the spectrum analyser, and the decoded test picture on the TV Explorer
Bench testing: the DVB-T2 signal on the spectrum analyser, and the decoded test picture on the TV Explorer
Colour bars decoded from the DVB-T2 transmitter on the bench
Colour bars decoded from the DVB-T2 transmitter on the bench

Installation in Fiji

In February 2026 we worked with FBC’s transmission team to install, commission and test the system at two of FBC’s transmission sites: Nakobalevu, which serves Suva, and Sabeto, which serves Nadi and Lautoka. These are the same sites as FBC’s FM network. The system has been fully tested end to end and is ready to go to air whenever FBC needs it.

The mast at Sabeto, which serves Nadi and Lautoka
The mast at Sabeto, which serves Nadi and Lautoka
A converted GatesAir transmitter installed at Nakobalevu
A converted GatesAir transmitter installed at Nakobalevu

The result

FBC now has a tested digital TV transmission system in Band III, covering Suva, Nadi and Lautoka. It can be used for hands-on training at the Pacific Multimedia Academy, and it can be brought to air at short notice if FBC’s main television service is disrupted.

By upgrading transmitters it already owned, FBC got a digital system at a fraction of the cost of buying new.

Team Flying Bats in Fiji
Team Flying Bats in Fiji

Southern Broadcast Ltd is a broadcast engineering company providing studio, RF and transmission design, installation and support to broadcasters across New Zealand and the Pacific.

Planning a transmission or digital TV project? Get in touch and we’ll talk it through.

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Posted on

September 29, 2026