In 2006, South Africa agreed to the ITU Regional Agreement in Geneva that determined countries must migrate from Analogue Television to Digital TV by 17th of June 2015. In line with this agreement, government developed its Broadcast Digital Migration Policy. It also agreed to provide access to set top boxes to TV-owning households to assist with the analogue switch off.
“The world is migrating from analogue TV to digital TV and this has been happening for a while and South Africa’s migration has been delayed. The main reason is to release spectrum that is much needed for various telecommunication services. If you use an antenna aerial on your roof to watch TV this will not work from the end of March 2022 unless your TV has a built-in digital tuner which the great news as most new TVs have already or you need to install a set top box. Open view decoder you should not be affected.”
BDM Project Manager and COO at SENTECH, Tebogo Leshope says the digital migration process is necessary to fulfil digital transformation and objectives.
“If you are receiving a scrolling message on your TV set from time to time about analogue switch off you are still receiving your television services on analogue mode and you need to get a digital set top box to receive digital services. South Africans who earn below 3 500 are eligible for free decoder installations and should get to South African post office to register for TV installation. You can also register online by going to www.stvregistration.gov.za. For more information please WhatsApp 0600 625458 or call 0860 736832.”
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) says it welcomes the switch-off of the analogue signal and the migration to digital.
ICASA spokesperson Paseka Maleka says, “This is important in that it provides South Africans with an opportunity to experience the best broadcast signal, where amongst others pictures are clearer. This also allows more television channels giving another opportunity for South Africans to put together content that can end up on various television platforms and lastly the completion of this process is critical as the spectrum coming from this switch off will be used for the deployment of much-needed radio frequency spectrum, mainly to support the uptake of mobile broadband communications in the country.”
Countdown to digital migration as analogue transmission due to be switched off on 31 March:
