Final analogue switch-off now tabled for end 2024
Analogue services above 694 MHz will be switched off effective July 31, 2023, as the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) progresses towards a final switch-off date of December 31, 2024.
Speaking during an update on South Africa’s broadcast digital migration (BDM) programme, Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Mondli Gungubele said that a two-step approach to the analogue switch-off hasdbeen adopted.
This follows a consolidation of the BDM objectives with the outcomes of the two-phase consultation process with industry players, broadcasters, signal distributors and the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa that started in December last year.
“A two-step approach toward the analogue switch-off is deemed a viable option for the industry, expected to be a win-win,” he said, noting that the department had the support of all stakeholders.
With the stakeholders now in alignment, South Africa is back on course to achieve the long-delayed digital migration, which was initially set to be completed by 2015.
The department, which has experienced several delays, court cases and false starts on the country’s migration, has been steadily switching off the analogue frequency, with five provinces already switched off.
While the two-step plan allows for the temporary accommodation of some of the highly populous areas using the sub-694 MHz until December 2024, 51 transmitters will be cleared on July 31 this year, including cross-border sites that may cause interference with neighbouring countries.
The BDM project comprises the migration of households to a digital television signal and switching off the analogue transmission, which will release valuable spectrum for the rollout of fifth-generation mobile networks and contribute to the reduction of the cost of data.
Comments
The
content
you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.
If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.
If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.
For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation