Digital TV switch-on imminent?
In an e-mail that was sent to DStv subscribers in the Cape Town region, MultiChoice warns that the switch on of digital terrestrial television (DTT) may affect the picture quality of certain viewers from 15 May 2012.
“Sentech is switching on transmitters around South Africa, in preparation for the launch of digital terrestrial television in South Africa,” MultiChoice said. “These transmitters could interfere with your picture quality on DStv.”
After a jostling of standards and deadlines, Sentech was given until March 2012 to cover 60% of South Africa’s population for DTT using the DVB-T2 standard.
In a statement issued by the Department of Communications (DoC) recently, Sentech said that they have hit this target.
The DoC said in the same statement that it is committed to switching on the digital signal “around September 2012”.
Dina Pule flanked by Rosey Sekese (left) and Themba Phiri (right)
Although the DoC has set a new target date for the switch-on of DVB-T2 in SA, Dina Pule, Minister of Communications, hasn’t set a new public target for the switching off of South Africa’s analogue broadcasting signals.
The previous Minister, Roy Padayachie, set a new analogue switch-off date for December 2013 after the original deadline was missed, but Pule has said that delays in the switch-on of digital broadcasts will push this date back.
Sentech was asked for comment, but did not respond by the time of publication.
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