The analogue TV signals will be switched off by the end of this month, October 2016, in South Africa by Faith Muthambi, the minister of communications. The switch off will take place in the region of North Cape, at the analogue signal Square Kilometre Array (SKA) area.
According to the government: “Over 3 700 households in the towns of Carnavon, Vanwyksvlei, Brandvlei, Vosburg and Williston have fully migrated to the much-awaited digital platform, a clear indication that the old-fashioned analogue transmitters in the core of the SKA area are ready to be switched off.’
The distribution process of set-top boxes has been ongoing in other communities of Limpopo, Free State and Mpumalanga and those with a salary of 3 200 ZAR (221 USD) or less, should be subsidised with STB and should be registered.
The government thus declared that: “Registrations will open in the North West, Eastern Cape, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Western Cape and Gauteng at a later stage. Priority is given to the provinces along South African borders in order to minimise the prospects of signal interference with neighbouring countries who are ready to deploy mobile communication services in the spectrum currently used by analogue television transmissions.’
“While the countdown to the end of the analogue era has begun, what is needed now is to continue with the public information campaign to ensure that TV viewers are ready for the change,’ the government further revealed.
Source: Next TV News Africa
