DBS ready for digital migration
Bame Piet | Friday April 3, 2015 12:47
Addressing journalists at the Mass Media Complex yesterday, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the State Presidency, Mogomotsi Kaboeamodimo, said that the department has acquired all the necessary equipment for the project.
He said that there are many opportunities that will be presented by digital migration, among them more Television Channels, and other ICT services.
“There will be more channels, more digital satellite television service providers, and demand for more content to feed the channels,” he said.
He dismissed concerns raised by some digital television service that Botswana has adopted a model that will deny Batswana subscribers to a other services that are accessed on mobile phones.
In an interview with Mmegi in November in 2013, in Cape Town, chief executive officer for Multi Choice Africa Nico Meyer said that the standard that Botswana adopted was likely to disadvantage DSTV service consumers in many ways. He cited some services offered on DSTV, such as accessing DSTV broadcast on mobile phone enjoyed by other countries, as one of those services that Botswana customers were not likely to access.
Kaboeamodimo responded yesterday that in 2010 countries gathered in Lusaka and they agreed that members were free to choose any standard different from the recommended Digital Video Broadcasting-Second Generation Terrestrial (DVB-T2) as long as it complied with requirements of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) GE06 Plan.
“After an evaluation of recommended standards, Botswana chose the Intergrated Services Digital Broadcasting Terrestrial (ISDB-T) originated in Japan. We did not adopt the standard to disadvantage any existing digital TV service provider, or its customers in any way,” he said. Kaboeamodimo further said neighbouring countries were consulted to ensure that there were no inconveniences caused to TV users, and added that the whole process was approved by ITU. He explained that the government allocated P130 million (2014-2015 financial year) for the project to address technical requirements including production and transmission equipment, digital content acquisition; and skills development.
He said Botswana and Japan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of the project and developed an implementation plan. “Botswana has coordinated frequencies will all its neighbours. Training on data broadcasting for various stakeholders completed,” he said.
What is analogue and
digital broadcasting?
Analogue is an old broadcasting technique, or system, which transmits signal from a broadcaster to a customer’s as two separate components – audio, and video or motion picture. Digital broadcasting, on the other hand, allows the broadcaster to transmit both audio and video as one component. There will be improvement in the quality of sound and pictures transmitted to the TV set. There will also be free space in the frequency spectrum for more TV channels to operate. Different regions and countries use different digital migration standards as they did for analogue TV transmission.
What is expected of TV users?
There will be no changes on Channel 289 (BTV) in the DSTV, but those who are not on DSTV will be required to acquire a Digital Set-Top box or a new integrated TV, or a digital ready TV aerial. They will not be required to subscribe for digital set-top box.
What will happen after June?
According to engineers at DBS, the analogue will continue be available, but the signal that reaches the customer’s TV set will not be protected from interference and might disappear anytime or be switched off. In other words, the signal will not be reliable.