- There are now two deadlines for the analogue switch-off.
- All services above 694MHz must be switched off by 31st July 2023 and services below have until 31st December 2024 to switch-off.
- It remains to be seen whether the switch-off will actually happen this time given it’s been over a decade since the process began.
You would be forgiven for thinking, “Hasn’t the analogue switch-off happened already?”
This process in which local broadcasters switch from analogue broadcast technology to digital has been going on for 13 years at this stage with government constantly missing the deadlines it sets for itself.
The latest deadline published by the Department Communications and Digital Technologies last week sets two deadlines. The first is for the switch-off of analogue services above the 694MHz band and that deadline is for 31st July 2023.
The second deadline is for 31st December 2024 and by then all services below 694MHz should be switched off. This, the department says, will accommodate high population areas temporarily.
“A two-step approach towards Analogue Switch-Off is deemed to be a viable approach for the industry. This approach is accepted to be a win-win approach that will enable Analogue Switch Off progress, release spectrum and allow key stakeholders to recover from post COVID economic decline and load-shedding impact,” the minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mondli Gungubele said in a statement.
To date, MultiChoice has switched off 84 analogue broadcast sites, etv has switched 30 of its 84 sites, and the SABC has stopped broadcasting in analogue in Free State, Northern Cape, North-West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
Importantly the distribution of set-top boxes to indignant households continues.
“We cannot leave anyone behind and have resolved to support those who registered after the 30 September 2022 deadline till such a time that we have fully migrated the country to digital. This is necessary to ensure that indigent households that registered late are provided for during and after the ASO process,” Gungubele said.
The minister says that the majority of those who have applied for set-top box installations have received them but there is work left to do. These boxes will be provided to households throughout the switch-off Gungubele added.
It remains to be seen now whether the switch-off will take place as planned. As mentioned, this process has been in the works for years at this stage with the deadline constantly being pushed back or outright missed.
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa welcomed the new deadlines.
“There is no doubt that it is essential for South Africa to complete the long-overdue migration to richer content and greater quality of digital television, and for the analogue switch-off to take place as soon as possible. The Authority welcomes the announcement and is looking forward to the project proceeding without further delays, to the benefit and aspirations of all South Africans,” acting chairperson for ICASA, Yolisa Kedama said on Friday.
By freeing up analogue broadcast space, there is potential for these frequencies to be used for communications, improving access to internet connectivity for all South Africans by potentially lowering the cost of access.
Before that can happen however, the frequencies need to be freed up, and hopefully this latest deadline will be adhered to.
[Image – Marcel Elia from Pixabay]
