My Broadband reports that the first phase of the launch of digital terrestrial television (DTT) in South Africa is set for 26 and 27 September this year, as per a presentation made by the Department of Communications (DoC) to the Select Committee on Labour and Public Enterprises in parliament this week.
The DoC has reportedly targeted the Northern Cape for the initial launch, near the area where the Square Kilometre Array is being rolled out.
Meanwhile, the DoC only weeks ago issued a request for proposals (RFPs) from local set-top box (STBs) manufacturers specifically for the STBs that the government plans to subside for approximately five million of South Africa’s poorer households.
It’s worth noting that local broadcasters SABC, M-Net and e.tv have been involved in DTT trials since November 2008 and that the commercial launch of DTT has been massively delayed since then.
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has committed to protecting the analogue signal in Africa until June 2015.
