11 Jun 2014

The Seventh  SADC Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) forum got underway on June 10 in Kasane ahead of the June 2015 deadline of the analogue switch off. 


“Our region is largely consumer based, as such we cannot afford to be using technology that the rest of the world has abandoned,” chief executive officer for Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA), Mr Thari Pheko said when setting the tone for the forum, which seeks to implement migration from analogue to digital by the set date. 



SADC countries are at different stages of the migration process. Mr Pheko explained that SADC had set an ambitious date of December 2013 for analogue switch off.

“Even though this date has passed, as a sub region we have not yet failed considering the (International Telecommunications Union (ITU) analogue switch off date of 17^th June 2015,” he explained. 



He explained that the forum was a continued effort by the SADC secretariat to support member states in engaging in best practices and various approaches to the implementation of the SADC roadmap for digital broadcasting migration. 



The June 17, 2015 deadline meant that the protection for transmitters would be reversed. Currently, Mr Pheko explained, analogue transmitters were protected from interference from digital transmitters.

“Beyond the switch off date, the protection will reverse and the digital transmitters will be protected against interference from analogue transmitters,” he explained.



Where the switch off failed to take place, analogue networks could still be used provided they would not cause any interference to the digital transmitters, he noted. 



“With the looming deadline, countries that are lagging behind might have more options of the approaches that work best as well as understanding of pitfalls that should have been avoided,” Mr Pheko explained.



The switch to ditigal migration will have a niche in the young generation’s need for speed and ubiquity, deputy permanent secretary for State President, Mr Mogomotsi Kaboeamodimo noted in his address. This, he said, presented an advantage for digital television broadcasting for various players in the industry.



“They expect content to be available on any device, anytime, anywhere and therein lies the digital television broadcasting advantage for system designers, manufacturers, gadget vendors, content developers and suppliers, distributors and broadcasters,” he said. 



He added that the young generation’s appetite for television was ferocious as they hungered for discovery, fun, education and ceaseless entertainment. 
 
The SADC DTT forum ends on Thursday and issues of policy, content development strategies and public broadcasting will be some of those that will be deliberated on. ENDS