30 Jul 2013

The Minister  for Transport and Communications, Mr Nonofo Molefhi has encouraged Batswana to embrace the digital migration switch-over exercise from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting.

Speaking at a two-day digital migration workshop in Gaborone, Minister Molefhi called Batswana to take advantage of the economic benefits that will come along with the process of the switch-over.

He highlighted that the chosen standard by Botswana government, the Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) applies to both public and private broadcasters.

The switching over process from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcast is not only for the public or state broadcaster but for all broadcasters in the country, he added.

Minister Molefhi said digital migration comes as an all-encompassing subject and calls for all to be part of the exercise.

“We will engage all stakeholders as we mobilise all capabilities and capacities to ensure that we are all in sync with the plan to go digital by 2015,” he said.

The minister said as Botswana is still at the very early stages of the digital migration process in terms of practical technical readiness, it was necessary to benchmark from those who had gone through the process in order to fast track the process.

He said successful implementation of the migration was highly awaited as the chosen standard of ISDB-T has a number of added values.

The minister said he was informed that the display of the ISDB –T reception at the just ended consumer fair excited the public upon realising the good services that will come with digital broadcasting and urged all involved in the process not to disappoint.

He encouraged Batswana to look into opportunities that may arise with the transition as a result of the collaboration and cooperation.

“As technologies evolve, they open new horizons for business and adaptation,” he said.

For his part, Japan’s Vice Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, Mr Keiichiro Tachibana , said he was delighted that the implementation of digital terrestrial television in Botswana was taking shape.

He advised the Botswana government and officials to draw up a master plan for the implementation process and follow it steadily in order to reap the benefits more widely.

“In order to implement digital broadcasting without complications, it is essential to get the message across to the Botswana citizens regarding the attractiveness of digital broadcasting,” he said.

He said this would ensure that all citizens understand the system and take concrete steps towards the transition.

He highlighted that the workshop followed an agreement which was signed in Japan by the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi and Japanese Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Mr Yoshitaka Shindo.

On the night of Monday July 29, a ceremony was held to officially launch the commencement of digital terrestrial television in Botswana.

In 2012, government adopted the Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) as its appropriate Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) standard as part of the digital migration process. The ISDB-T system’s hierarchical mode of operation allows for the simultaneous transmission to fixed, mobile and portable receivers from a single transmitter.

The standard’s capacity also allows for the provision of direct transmission to Batswana through multiple hand-held devices, including cell phones as well as traditional receivers. ENDS