Thanks for the response. I was getting worried that no one seems to be on the same planet as me!
My argument was in the main aimed at the migration of services from older Mobile Technologies (GSM, etc.), where the greatest spectrum need exists.
In the Broadcasting domain, way back in the preparations for WRC 2000 ( yes more than 15 years ago) the first papers and studies dealing with "digital terrestrial broadcasting" showed the huge advantages that would be gained from the conversion. But like all things that involve entrenched industries, there was first total resistance, then grudging acceptance, then concerted efforts from incumbents all over the world baulking at the re-capitalisations costs involved, and then finally acceptance of a process to achieve the migration, which in SA led to the SA Administration committing to a switch-off date of June 2015 for analogue broadcasts.
We all know where we stand on this aspect. We will be lucky if it is completed within the next 5 years, even though the Minister again today promised 18 - 24 months to completion.
There were many competing digital technologies at the time. SA chose originally to go for the Region 1 option of DVB T1, and because of the slow process involved and the many political challenges to this decision, we ended up with DVB - T2. In the end some of the delays were actually in our favour, but mostly to our detriment.
Broadcasting just like any other Industry wants to retain access to its allocations, and is prepared to introduce newer technologies and undertake the conversion, if only the politicians will get out of the way.
The other argument that is raging is the one related to broadcasting as an Industry. The argument goes, "has broadcasting still have a role to play in the future?" Is there any place for one-way communications in a World dominated by the Internet? This argument is the one favoured by those that want to use the released spectrum (the Digital Dividend) for other purposes. The broadcasters are saying they do have a future role to play and that they should be given the freedom to retain allocated spectrum for broadcasting based on the own assessments of future requirements to meet the demands for future services.
The second argument that started way back in 2000, was "why don't we skip this terrestrial step and simply converted ALL broadcasting to satellite and be done with it"!
In SA the plan is for 7 multiplexes, and the spectrum requirements have been determined accordingly. In Kenya, where the DTT migration is virtually complete, they have as many as 12 multiplexes now in service already, showing that in Kenya , there is a huge demand for broadcasting services. So the broadcasting Industry players in SA are starting to say, "what will happen after the DTT process is completed, and the demand for more services increases, where will we get spectrum if the released spectrum has in the meantime been allocated to other services such as IMT?"
Sentech has been ready for years, first based on the DVB - T standard, and then changed to DVB -T2 and still none of the capacity is being utilised, while the politicians fight over the spoils to be had from dubious plans to manufacture STBs locally. Some of the deployed transmitters are already reaching a point where they may have to be replaced before any services were delivered using them!
BTW, DVB has three sets of standards, all adhering to the basic standard, but each optimised, depending on the media used.
DVB-C - over coaxial cable broadcasting networks, of which almost nothing ever existed in South Africa;
DVB-S - over Satellite, where most of the developments around DVB, MPEG etc have been done and where the next generation DVB-S2 happened many years ago already ( but only very recently used in SA), and;
DVB-T - over terrestrial radio , which is the hot topic at the moment.
PS" How many out there know the whole history of the development of DVB, MPEG etc? How many are aware of the key role SA ( Multichoice, Orbicom) played in the development of these standards?? SA has always been in the forefront of adopting and developing new technologies. It is since 1994 that we have started to slip further and further back in the implementation and use of new technologies to the point where just about every other African country has now overtaken us??
