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Digital Migration Policy published: no date, but no encryption

Today’s government gazette includes some long awaited news: the update to South Africa’s policy for the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting signals has been published.

The bad news is that despite the fact that the internationally agreed date for transitioning to digital TV is up in June, the updated policy still doesn’t contain a date for turning off the analogue transmitters. In the preamble, the new policy merely says “The switch-on and switch-off date of the digital and analogue broadcasting digital terrestrial television signals will respectively be determined by the Minister of Communications in consultation with Cabinet.”

Digital TV broadcasts are capable of higher resolution broadcasts across many more channels. More importantly, switching to digital frees up spectrum for mobile broadband services, which South African operators are waiting desperately for. Sentech, which owns the network through which TV is broadcast, said last week that it has completed the installation of digital equipment and is already broadcasting nationwide.

One of the most contentious issues surrounding the switchover – and the cause of many delays – has finally been laid to rest though. Set top boxes subsidised by the government will need to be fitted with control modules. In other words, South African set-top boxes will only be usable in South Africa.

5.1.2.2 have a control system to prevent government subsidised free-to-air DTT STBs from functioning in non-South African DTT networks.
5.1.2.7 have a robust control system that will be used to benefit the TV households by ensuring that they continue to receive free-to-air broadcasting services in their existing analogue television sets.

The new policy argues that since set-top boxes will be subsidised, the control module locking them to South African transmissions will mean they can’t be bought cheaply here and sold overseas.

Ahead of today’s publication, many raised concerns that this module could be used to prevent people watching TV.

“There is little doubt in our minds that the control feature will be used in an attempt to squeeze the poor and force them to pay for essential access to information,” said Right2Know Campaign‘s spokeswoman Busi Mtabane in a media statement on Monday.

The new policy says that the control modules are not compulsory, however, which should mean equipment from overseas will work here, so long as it meets the DVB-T2 standard. We’re just waiting for confirmation on the technical side of this, but the wording of the policy specifically suggests the control system will not be mandatory for watching TV.

“In keeping with the objectives of ensuring universal access to broadcasting services in South Africa and protecting government investment in subsidised STB market, STB control system in the free-to-air DTT will be non-mandatory.”

And where control modules are fitted into set-top boxes, the policy also says:

“The STB control system for the free-to-air DTT STBs shall –

(a) not have capabilities to encrypt broadcast signals for the subsidised STBs; and

(b) be used to protect government investment in subsidised STB market thus supporting the local electronic manufacturing sector.”

So when will the switchover happen?

“Switchover will happen when it happens,” says StrategyWorks’ Steven Ambrose, “But it probably won’t be before 2017.”

[Main image – CC Wikimedia]

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