Landmark tower set for upgrade
A government-led move from analogue to digital radio and television broadcasts means Sentech, the state-owned signal distributor, has to upgrade its infrastructure as well as its products and services by 2009.
Sentech has already begun the digital conversion, which is driven by the need to make SA a world-class destination for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
Sentech’s digital network roll out will take a phased approach, first covering the urban areas and football stadiums, said its GM for marketing and communications, Michelle Potgieter.
The new equipment will be smaller and more powerful than the transmitters now housed in Sentech Tower in Johannesburg, some of which are 27 years old. “This is old equipment, we can’t continue with this,” she says.
But money is the problem. “We don’t have enough money. We are looking for more government funds and we are also looking for private investors to invest in our other services like our MyWireless internet access,” she says. “Sentech’s core focus has always been broadcasting, but we need investment and capital to grow our services.”
End users will benefit from a better quality of sound and pictures with fewer interruptions. The major drawback is customers will need a new radio and a set top box to decode the television signal, although they will not have to replace their existing television set.
Digital technology can transmit more channels on a single frequency than an analogue system, and gives a better quality of sound and vision. It also paves the way for interactive applications. A digital transmitter can carry up to six channels on the same frequency needed for just one analogue channel.
That more efficient use of spectrum should make far more television and radio channels available to consumers, and allow more broadcasters to be licensed.
The digital migration policy from the communications department is supported by the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa). However, Icasa says more citizens listen to the radio than watch television, and they may not be able to afford a digital radio.
That has massive implications for universal access and affordability, Icasa says, and is one reason the digital migration is not being rushed.
In February Namibia became the first southern African country to enjoy digital terrestrial television. The MultiChoice service gives Windhoek subscribers a wider choice of channels with better sound and picture quality.
Inet-Bridge
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