Broadcasters not ready for DTT

By Damaria Senne, ITWeb senior journalist

Johannesburg, 31 Jan 2008

South African broadcasters are not yet ready to migrate from analogue to digital terrestrial TV (DTT) services, even though the switch-on is scheduled to take place in nine months.

Speaking at the third annual Digital Broadcasting Switchover Forum, in Sandton yesterday, speakers said South Africans faced a "token switch". This means the infrastructure would be in place but with little content available on the digital channels, unless government sets DTT policy as a matter of urgency.

Sentech estimates dual illumination, or the phased introduction of DTT, adds an additional 40% to 60% of operational cost for signal distribution per month. The three-year dual illumination process starts on 1 November 2008 and ends in November 2011.

This could add up to R960 million when providing service for current broadcasters only, said Sentech executive of digital systems Frans Lindeque.

Dual illumination would also use extra electricity, as it requires the analogue and digital towers are powered.

Sentech estimates the distribution cost for DTT implementation is R1 billion. This cost is part of the five-year project. Sentech has already begun putting in place DTT infrastructure, as well as setting up 184 signal distribution sites covering 92% of the country. The signal distributor has previously indicated it is well on track in its DTT infrastructure roll-out.

'No crisis'

In his keynote address at yesterday's forum, deputy communications minister Roy Padayachie said government was committed to an "aggressive and efficient" digital migration process.

"Government is aware that it took on a challenging, enormous task in setting DTT to a short deadline, and it will be careful to ensure the migration plan is implemented efficiently and diligently. We are not going to countenance a crisis like we are experiencing with energy," he said.

Last year, Cabinet set a deadline of November 2011 for analogue cutoff, with digital switch-on taking place on 1 November 2008.

Policy needed

National Association of Broadcasters of SA executive director Johann Koster said broadcasters would not make strategic decisions on their DTT initiatives unless there is policy in place.

"The reality is that, until such time as we have clarity on the policy provisions that will govern the digital environment, technical specifications, multiplex arrangements, channel allocations and funding, very few stakeholders will be willing to take any strategic decisions," he said.

"It's frustrating for broadcasters because we don't know what the next stage in the digital migration process will be. It's extremely difficult to take strategic decisions as a broadcaster when you don't know what government's strategic decisions will be," he said.

The lack of policy direction is also affecting some aspects of Sentech's DTT planning process, said Lindeque. "It's very difficult to determine what the overall cost of digital migration will be without a clear policy framework."

Lindeque said some of the unknown short-term costs are the cost of dual illumination, the cost to develop set-top boxes (and whether government/industry/broadcasters shoulder the cost and to what proportion), as well as the cost of distributing the set-top boxes.

Government also needs to provide clear guidance on what DTT broadcasting model SA will adopt, Lindeque said.

If government chooses the free-to-air model, it would have to invest R2.8 billion in cheap set-top box subsidies; whereas, if it chooses free access, the investment climbs up to R4 billion, he said.

International input

Department of Communications spokesman Albi Modise says the delay in making policy declarations was due to government's need to use input from the World Radio Conference 2007, which took place in November.

It was critical that input from the international body be included in whatever policy government formulates, as SA has to comply with the standards set by this body on the matter, he says.

Broadcasters note that the targets government has set for switch-on and switch-off are achievable, if the policy is put in place on time. "The industry, as a whole, is ready to move forward with digital migration and is extremely keen to assist government and the regulator to meet the targets it set for itself," said Koster.