Name and Location
Digital broadcasting migration project, South Africa.

Client
The Department of Communications (DoC) and Sentech.

Project Description
Digital terrestrial television (DTT) is the implementation of digital technology to provide more channels and/or better picture quality and sound through a conventional television antenna or aerial, instead of a satellite dish or cable connection.

In 2005, State-owned enterprise Sentech announced plans to roll out DTT using digital video broadcasting terrestrial (DVB-T) technology, in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Initially, there will be two DVB-T transmitters for each location or site.

The first phase of the project involves upgrading the Sentech broadcast network and duplicating the current analogue network channels on a digital system.

Most of the 220 sites needed to broadcast DTT to 92% of South Africa's population are already in place, but need to be upgraded to become fully digital. Once that process has been completed, DTT and analogue systems will run simultaneously (a dual-illumination process) until South Africa is ready to switch off analogue transmission. This decision will be made by government.

A set-top box (STB) will be required to decode the signal, even for public broadcasting and free-to-air channels. The STBs are expected to be subsidised.

Value
The upgrade is expected to cost R1-billion.

Supplying the STBs will cost an estimated R2.45-billion.

Duration
According to an agreement with the International Telecommunications Union, the country has until 2015 to complete the migration, after which it will no longer have exclusive use of the frequencies.

Latest Developments
Communications Minister Dina Pule expects the DoC to evaluate bids for the tender to manufacture subsidised STBs in September, adding that the first STBs should be available by the end of the year.

In a copy of a speech delivered at the launch of a DTT awareness campaign in Nkowankowa, near Tzaneen, in Limpopo, the Minister said the DoC had met with bidders for the STB tender to explain the implications of her decision to review the STB control system.

“They were also updated about the validity of the tender and those who remain interested in the tender have been requested to confirm their bids,” Pule said.

The DoC initially issued the tender for the manufacture of five-million subsidised STBs in August last year; however, the awarding of the tender was halted after e.tv launched a court bid to oppose Sentech’s appointment to manage conditional access to the STBs.

In December, the South Gauteng High Court ruled that broadcasters other than Sentech should also be granted conditional access control.

The DoC appealed the ruling, but withdrew its appeal in February to fast-track the roll-out of DTT.

Meanwhile, Pule says that the DTT network currently reaches 81% of all South Africans, with Sentech being “hard at work” to ensure all citizens have access to the network by the end of this year.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
None stated.

On Budget and on Time?
South Africa has until 2015 to complete the migration, after which it will no longer have exclusive use of the frequencies.

Contact Details for Project Information
DoC, tel +27 12 427 8000 or fax +27 12 427 8016; or spokesperson Tiyani Rikhotso, cell +27 83 800 9936 or email tiyani@doc.gov.za; or digital migration project leader Themba Phiri, tel +27 12 427 8146 or fax +27 12 427 8059.
DoC Go Digital, tel +27 800 463 444, fax +27 11 399 6023 or email info@godigitalsa.co.za.
Sentech, tel +27 11 691 7000.