Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      World Bank set to back South Africa’s big energy grid roll-out

      20 June 2025

      The algorithm will sing now: why musicians should be worried about AI

      20 June 2025

      Sita hits back at critics, promises faster, automated procurement

      20 June 2025

      The transatlantic race to create the first television

      20 June 2025

      Listed: All the MVNOs in South Africa – 2025 edition

      19 June 2025
    • World

      Watch | Starship rocket explodes in setback to Musk’s Mars mission

      19 June 2025

      Trump Mobile dials into politics, profit and patriarchy

      17 June 2025

      Samsung plots health data hub to link users and doctors in real time

      17 June 2025

      Beijing’s chip champions blacklisted by Taiwan

      16 June 2025

      China is behind in AI chips – but for how much longer?

      13 June 2025
    • In-depth

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025

      MultiChoice may unbundle SuperSport from DStv

      12 June 2025

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025

      Digital fortress: We go inside JB5, Teraco’s giant new AI-ready data centre

      30 May 2025

      Sam Altman and Jony Ive’s big bet to out-Apple Apple

      22 May 2025
    • TCS

      TCS+ | AfriGIS’s Helen Hulett on how tech can help resolve South Africa’s water crisis

      18 June 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E2: South Africa’s digital battlefield

      16 June 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E1: Starlink, BEE and a new leader at Vodacom

      8 June 2025

      TCS+ | The future of mobile money, with MTN’s Kagiso Mothibi

      6 June 2025

      TCS+ | AI is more than hype: Workday execs unpack real human impact

      4 June 2025
    • Opinion

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025

      Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

      2 June 2025

      South Africa’s next crisis? Being offline in an AI-driven world

      2 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » In-depth » Digital TV roll-out under threat as Icasa goes back to the drawing board

    Digital TV roll-out under threat as Icasa goes back to the drawing board

    By Editor3 September 2009
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp

    Lara Kantor and Siphiwe Nyanda

    Unless the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) is able to issue new regulations to manage SA’s switch from analogue to digital terrestrial television by mid-October, the country will not be ready for the planned commercial launch of digital services in April next year.

    That’s the view of Lara Kantor (pictured above with communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda). Kantor is chair of the Digital Dzonga, an advisory council created by the department of communications to oversee the migration process.

    Icasa, facing a legal challenge from free-to-air broadcaster e.tv, will withdraw regulations it published last month within the next few days to allow a further period for comment from the broadcasting industry, a source close to the regulator says.

    But Icasa will have to move quickly to issue amended regulations if the entire migration process isn’t going to be delayed, Kantor warns.

    She says there are three hurdles which must be overcome urgently. First, Icasa must issue amended regulations to deal with e.tv’s legal threats; second, it must finalise the radio frequency spectrum plan for broadcasting; and, lastly, the SABC and e.tv must finalise the specification for the software to be included in the digital set-top boxes that will be required to receive digital TV signals.

    The two broadcasters have promised to finalise the specification by the end of September.

    If commercial switch-on of digital TV doesn’t happen in April, the launch may have to wait until after the 2010 soccer World Cup, Kantor says. “There’ll be a lot of noise around the World Cup, so we may then have to leave the launch until after the event.”

    Kantor won’t say if a delay would affect government’s target of switching off analogue broadcasts — and end the period of so-called “dual illumination” of both analogue and digital transmissions — by November 2011, though she feels that deadline is not feasible. It depends on how early people migrate to digital TV.

    If consumers leave the purchase of set-top boxes until the last moment, this could mean the date for full migration will have to be moved out.

    Experience in other markets suggests consumers leave buying set-top boxes until the last possible moment, though Kantor hopes that the new channel bouquets that will be available on digital will provide an incentive for people to switch earlier.

    “Additional channels are key,” she says. “Consumers must get the message that you can only get this new content if you buy this set-top box. Content is absolutely key.”

    In SA, where pay-TV penetration is relatively low, the value-added services offered by digital TV could entice people to switch earlier. Digital TV will offer them an electronic programme guide, similar to the programme guide available on MultiChoice’s DStv, additional audio tracks for different languages, and limited interactive applications.

    For now, though, Kantor says she’d prefer to focus on meeting the April 2010 date for commercial launch and to worry about the length of the period of dual illumination later. “Switch-off will come with a range of marketing challenges but we’re still at step one in this process.”

    Though consumers can’t buy officially sanctioned set-top boxes until the commercial launch, it is already possible to receive digital signals. All that’s needed is a digital TV receiver capable of interpreting what are known as Mpeg-4 transmissions. But Kantor warns that these receivers won’t have the SA-specific software included, and won’t have a local electronic programme guide.

    During the test phase, nine digital channels are available to those who want to experiment with the service. E.tv is broadcasting its regular terrestrial channel plus a channel called “e.tv Classic”. The SABC is broadcasting its three regular channels — SABC 1, 2 and 3 — as well as channels focused on entertainment, natural history, education and children’s programming.

    The SABC is also broadcasting it 18 radio stations via digital TV signals, though Icasa has indicated it will not permit radio stations after commercial launch. “This doesn’t make sense,” Kantor says. “Hopefully we can persuade Icasa to change its mind.”

    Kantor says she is anxious for the software standards to be finalised so that the market is not flooded by cheap imports that aren’t designed to work properly with SA’s digital broadcasts. “Mauritius launched digital TV without the necessary standards and the market was flooded with substandard equipment that didn’t work properly and this damaged the credibility of the whole platform among consumers there.”  — Duncan McLeod, TechCentral



    Digital Dzonga digital TV DTT e.tv Lara Kantor MultiChoice SABC
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleMinistry defends Blade’s R1,1m BMW purchase
    Next Article Industry body calls for radical approach to spectrum management

    Related Posts

    MultiChoice may unbundle SuperSport from DStv

    12 June 2025

    MultiChoice’s TV empire shrinks – but its ‘side hustles’ are holding strong

    12 June 2025

    MultiChoice is bleeding subscribers

    11 June 2025
    Company News

    Making IT happen: how Trade Link gears up to enable SA retail strategies

    20 June 2025

    Why parents choose CambriLearn for online education

    19 June 2025

    Disrupt first, ask questions later – the uncomfortable truth about incident response

    18 June 2025
    Opinion

    South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

    17 June 2025

    AI and the future of ICT distribution

    16 June 2025

    Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

    13 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.