The Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) said yesterday it had received a letter of withdrawal from Sentech, which gave no reasons for cancelling its joint application with the SABC.<\/p>\n
Sentech was not available for comment yesterday.<\/p>\n
At the regulator’s hearings in June, the Sentech-SABC application raised concerns about government control of the broadcasting media. The state has a 38 percent stake in Telkom, which in turn owns 66 percent of Telkom Media. The latter was awarded a pay television licence yesterday.<\/p>\n
Industry experts had said they did not expect Sentech to win a licence, because it was not clear how it would finance its television ambitions. Sentech already operates the Vivid pay television platform.<\/p>\n
The parastatal is in the midst of a more than R1 billion capital investment programme. This includes the roll-out of a broadband telecoms network and the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup. Digital technology will enable high-definition television broadcasts, which are much clearer than analogue signals.<\/p>\n
Icasa councillor Zolisa Masiza said the regulator would decide on the future of the Vivid platform when it finalised its reasons for not awarding licences to 10 applicants.<\/p>\n
When Icasa invited bids for subscription broadcasting licences last year, 18 companies applied, including Khetha Media, MaxTV and Q Digital. WorldSpace and Multichannel withdrew from the race during the hearings in May.<\/p>\n
The year-long process was marred with tears and some tense arguments. It all ended yesterday as Icasa named four new entrants that will end MultiChoice’s 12-year DStv monopoly.<\/p>\n
This heralds a new era in local subscription broadcasting, with more choice for consumers.<\/p>\n
The new providers are Esat, On Digital Media, Walking on Water and Telkom Media. MultiChoice was granted a formal licence.<\/p>\n
The five players will get licences before the end of the year.<\/p>\n
Icasa councillor Marcia Socikwa said if none of the bigger operators in the telecoms and broadcasting industries requested an extension, the new licensees should start operating by December.<\/p>\n
Telkom Media chief executive Mandla Ngcobo said the company would start offering its services in the second quarter of next year. The licence allows it to operate a satellite pay television service and an internet protocol television service in South Africa.<\/p>\n
On Digital Media director Vino Govender said consumers could expect the firm’s variety of services in the second half of next year.<\/p>\n
Walking on Water said it would start as a single-channel operator but it gave no time frame, while Esat was mum on its plans.<\/p>\n
Telkom Media would offer a range of international channels not available locally. It was negotiating with international content providers and would create a number of channels, Ngcobo said.<\/p>\n