The final switch-off date for South Africa’s analogue frequencies has now been set for December 24, 2024.

A two-step approach has been adopted for the long-delayed transition from analogue to digital migration, starting with the switch-off of analogue services above 694 MHz, effective July 31, 2023, to release spectrum for other telecommunications use as the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) progresses towards the final switch-off date.

South Africa’s transition from analogue broadcasting to digital terrestrial television, which missed the June 17, 2015, deadline under a 2006 agreement with the International Telecommunication Union, has experienced several delays, court cases and false starts for more than a decade.

Speaking during an update on South Africa’s broadcast digital migration (BDM) programme, Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Mondli Gungubele said that the two-step approach towards the analogue switch-off is deemed the most viable option for the industry.

“This approach is accepted to be a win-win approach that will enable analogue switch-off progress, release spectrum and allow key stakeholders to recover from the post- Covid-19 economic decline and loadshedding impact,” he told media.

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, a total of 51 transmitters will be cleared on July 31 this year, including cross-border sites that may cause interference with neighbouring countries.

According to the Minister, all digital broadcasting services operating above the 694 MHz frequency must be retuned to operate on frequencies below 694 MHz in order to clear broadcasting services from the 694 MHz to 862 MHz frequency bands.

“It is an approach that will ensure that the viewing public continues to have access to television programming while also ensuring increased access to mobile broadband services,” added Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) acting chairperson Yolisa Kedama, welcoming the two-phased approach.

The DCDT has secured the support of all stakeholders following a consolidation of the BDM objectives with the outcomes of the two-phase consultation process with industry players, broadcasters, signal distributors and Icasa that had started in December last year.

“In December 2022, after significant progress in the implementation of the BDM, we commenced a process of consultation on the possible analogue switch-off date. This first phase was published through a Government Gazette. We received a total of 17 responses from industry players during this consultation phase,” Gungubele pointed out.

Following the submission of written responses by industry players, the DCDT engaged in a second phase of consultation with broadcasters, including eTV, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and community broadcasters, signal distributor Sentech and regulator Icasa.

“The engagement has been cordial and has enabled us to make progress regarding confirmation of the analogue switch-off date for South Africa.”

With the stakeholders now in alignment, South Africa is back on course to achieve the long-delayed digital migration and release valuable spectrum for the roll-out of fifth- generation mobile networks and contribute to a reduction in the cost of data.

The department has been steadily switching off the analogue frequency, with the SABC having already switched off in five provinces, namely the Free State, the Northern Cape, the North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

M-Net has switched off all its 84 sites and eTV has switched off 30 of its 84 sites across the country.

The remaining sites will progressively be switched off towards the final analogue hyphenate date of December 31, 2024, the Minister said.

“The analogue switch-off is a critical step that enables release of spectrum and positions South Africa for next-generation technologies. By taking this next step, we are making it possible for the companies that bought spectrum to finally proceed with the investments that can be undertaken.”

In March 2022, Icasa completed a high- demand spectrum auction, with six qualified bidders – Cell C, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, MTN, Rain, Telkom and Vodacom – participating in the two-phased auction process.

“It is public knowledge that spectrum has been auctioned to various companies to provide South Africans with faster, affordable and better-quality services and generally undertake investments that promote economic growth and employment,” Gungubele said, assuring that the DCDT will continue to work with industry players and Icasa to ensure that analogue switch-off is achieved, spectrum is released and the digital migration is finally concluded.

“The announcement [of the analogue switch-off plans] aligns South Africa’s plans to migrate to digital terrestrial television in accordance with international and regional agreements, and with global best practice. Further, it will facilitate the allocation of the ‘digital dividend’ to broadband services,” said Kedama.

“There is no doubt that it is essential for South Africa to complete the long-overdue migration to richer content and greater quality of digital television, and for the analogue switch-off to take place as soon as possible. The authority welcomes the announcement and is looking forward to the project proceeding without further delays, to the benefit and aspirations of all South Africans.”

Meanwhile, since the beginning of the set-top box (STB) registration process in 2015, about 1.5-million applications have been received for government-subsidised STBs.

“We have been monitoring applications that were received after the September 30, 2022, cut-off date, and we are continuing to receive late applications for government- subsidised STBs,” said Gungubele.