Advanced Television

South Africa mobile TV policy U-turn

August 12, 2008

If there had been only one network provider, which was expected to be Sentech, all companies wishing to enter the market would have been forced to go through that company.

The news will be welcomed by companies such as pay-TV provider MultiChoice, which has plans to have its mobile TV service available before the 2010 FIFA Football World Cup. MultiChoice has been running mobile TV trials for the past two years, in partnership with Sentech and cellphone operators such as MTN.

In May 2007, Matsepe-Casaburri had said that mobile broadcasting services would be provided on a single network with national coverage, using the digital video broadcasting- handheld (DVB-H) standard, and the licence holder would operate along open and non-discriminatory principles. However, Matsepe-Casaburri has now said: “We are not looking into giving one licence on DVB-H.”

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