I can exclusively reveal that the launch of digital migration - the start of the commercial switch in South Africa from analogue to digital broadcasting and digital terrestrial television (DTT) is planned for 26 and 27 September 2012 in the Northern Cape with the area of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) chosen where 20 STBs will be used in a symbolic, ceremonial "switch-on" ceremony.
The SKA has been chosen to demonstrate that the frequencies used will not be interfering with the SKA project and to show people in South Africa's "deep rural areas" currently without access to public television that they could now have access.
The government and South Africa's broadcasting industry plans to roll out DTT over the next three years, which will require TV viewers top buy a set top box (STB) and an antenna, with poorest households receiving a partial subsidy. The government now also pegs the price of a STB at R400 - a big drop from the original R700.
Meanwhile a STB Control System is being developed under the auspices of Sentech which would cost South Africa R10 million and enable the government and/or broadcasters to turn STBs on and off. Sentech is working with the SABC and the broadcasting regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) on what is called a "Broadcast Master Plan" regarding DTT coverage for the country.
According to South Africa's department of communications the SABC, e.tv and M-Net are all ready to launch on the DTT platform the department told parliament in a special progress report on the country's readiness for digital terrestrial television.
The SABC is ready to transmit SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 on the DTT network and will also have its new 24-hour news TV channel ready for DTT which the SABC plans to launch at the beginning of September on MultiChoice's DStv platform. The SABC and e.tv is also working on a free-to-air (FTA) partnership to promote their collective digital television offering.
The SABC, e.tv and Sentech are meanwhile all in the process of establishing specific call centres to deal with DTT enquiries from viewers and consumers.
The launch, if it does take place on 26 and 27 September will be largely ceremonial - it will be a technical launch since no tenders for the manufacture of STBs have yet been awarded by government, no real STBs will exist to be bought by South African consumers and viewers to actually watch digital television transmissions. It takes 3 months to manufacture a STB.
Sentech has ordered 20 STBs for the 26 September DTT launch - divided into 10 which will be used for direct-to-home (DTH) and 10 for the DTT launch demonstration.
SA's massive DTT budget shortfall
Meanwhile South Africa's DTT budget is experiencing a massive shortfall to enable the digital migration. The department of communications needs STB subsidies to the tune of R2,635 billion, over and above the R940 million projected earlier. The overall shortfall, including the SABC's technology upgrade and Sentech's dual illumination requirements is projected at R7 billion for South Africa.
Both the department of communications and Sentech, the parastatal signal distributor, were told by parliament to communicate and collaborate more with each other on digital migration.
Sentech told parliament that it is committed, ready and capable to support a national technical launch of DTT during the third quarter of 2012 within the existing DTT coverage areas for terrestrial services. Sentech further said that the signal distributor was working towards 80% coverage by the end of the financial year with full conversions of sites in Limpopo, the Free State, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, and additional sites in the Eastern Cape, North West and the Western Cape.
SKA chosen as "proof that DTT works'
Roy Kruger, technical adviser to the department of communications told parliament that the department of communications is targeting the SKA in the Northern Cape firstly as a "proof of concept" - to show that DVB-T2 works, and secondly that the frequencies used are not interfering with the SKA Project. Thirdly, it will show that people in rural areas without access to TV could now have receive public South African television.
Logistics and political arrangements for the launch dates of 26 and 27 September are apparently already in place. The DTT technical launch would have two components to it - namely satellite or direct-to-home (DTH) around the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) to prove that the SKA signals would not interfere with broadcast signals, and DTT transmission to a township near Kimberley which currently has the only DTT transmitter in the Northern Cape.
The department of communications has already identified 3 500 installers nationally who would assist with DTT installation.
