Seven years after SA initially decided to turn on digital television, it has yet to become a reality, with several stops and starts along the way. ITWeb has compiled a timeline of the high- and lowlights of the process so far.
2006: SA decides to migrate using the European DVB-T standard.
2007: Initial deadlines set: switch-on in November 2008 and analogue turns-off in November 2011.
2008: Initial pilot digital television starts.
2010: Process halts as the Department of Communications (DOC) ponders using the Brazilian upgrade of the Japanese ISDB-T standard under former minister Siphiwe Nyanda.
2011: The Southern African Development Community selects DVB-T2.
2012: SA set to launch digital TV towards the end of the year, which is delayed after a court case over set-top box controls, although a proof of concept launch takes place in the Karoo.
May 2013: The DOC scraps the idea of set-top box controls, aiming to speed up turn on.
Mid-2013: SA aimed to turn on, which failed to materialise.
June 2013: The DOC says turn on will happen in the second half of the year, but the award of the needed decoder deal is pushed out to September, making switch on unlikely this year.
November 2013: SADC's initial turn-off target, which is unlikely.
March 2014: Industry's anticipated switch on, as yet unconfirmed.
March 2014: 80% population coverage by Sentech.
Mid-2015: The International Telecommunication Union will stop protecting analogue broadcasts.
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