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
The DoC's gazette of the proposed amendment of the Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy has signalled a possible gain in traction for South Africa’s digital migration ambitions, as a digital signal switch-on date of April 1, 2014, is targeted.

The amendments, which are out for public comment for the next 30 days, indicates that, after several years of delays and many false starts, the nation’s move from analogue broadcasting to DTT is back on track.

This follows Cabinet’s approval OF the use of a control system in subsidised STBs, which will be required to receive terrestrial broadcasting transmission signals after the analogue broadcasting frequencies’ exclusivity, or protection, is lifted in June 2015.

The STB impasse between broadcasters is the latest of many challenges government faces in the delivery of DTT, since committing to the International Telecommunications Union’s deadline of June 17, 2015.

South Africa’s initial self-imposed deadline to switch on the digital signal in November 2008 and switch off the analogue signal in November 2011 – allowing for a three-year analogue and digital dual-illumination period – proved unrealistic.

Multiple Ministerial changes, delays in transmission-tower upgrades and a 2010 STB technical standard adoption review, as well as amended Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy and DTT regulations requiring public consultation, hampered the digital roll-out, resulting in further delaying the digital switch-on from the new date of April 2012 to September.

The DoC’s October 2012 soft launch, in the Northern Cape, was meant to be followed by a nationwide commercial launch in December last year, but this was delayed for another year, owing to a legal dispute between the DoC and free-to-air broadcaster e.tv regarding the STBs.

Communications Minister Yunnus Carrim will decide on the new switch-off date for analogue transmission after engaging Cabinet and other relevant stakeholders.

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 media liaison officer, Siya Qoza, tel +27 12 427 8511.
Sentech, tel +27 11 691 7000.