Advanced Television

DSO

Last-minute hold-up for Kenya DSO

The process of converting Kenya to all-digital TV transmissions has been beset by delays, with frequent legal challenges from broadcasters arguing that the nation was not yet ready for digital TV. A ‘final’ deadline date for the important Nairobi region was made for December 31st, but this was stymied with a last-minute legal intervention which […]

January 2, 2015By Chris Forrester

Spain approves 3 month extension to DSO

The Spanish government has bowed to the pressure of the industry and market to delay until March 31st 2015 the digital switch-off and the DTT reset deadline. The government has made the decision to prevent between 2 and 4 million Spaniards from losing their TV signals from January 1st, the initial deadline to complete the […]

December 19, 2014From David Del Valle in Madrid

EBRD €24m loan to Serbia to complete DSO

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a €24 million loan to Serbian public company Emisiona Tehnika i Veze for completing the transition from analogue to digital TV broadcasting. However, it is already certain that the full amount of the allocated resources will not be spent, given that for the purchase of […]

December 19, 2014From Branislav Pekic in Rome

Uganda abandons DSO plan

Uganda has admitted that its previous plan to switch off analogue TV on December 31st 2014 has been abandoned. Fred Otunnu, head of communications at the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has said that the country is still working towards the June 2015 ITU complete switch-off date, but local reports say this ambition will be a […]

December 11, 2014By Chris Forrester

Namibia ASO on Feb 1

Namibia’s public broadcaster, NBC, will terminate its analogue transmissions on January 31st 2015. The original plan was for broadcasts to end next week on December 15, but local appeals for a modest delay saw the deadline slip to the end of January next year. “It is not about the date, but rather about ensuring that […]

December 9, 2014By Chris Forrester

Africa back-sliding on DSO

The Africa Telecommunications Union (ATU) admits that many of its members will not be making the June 2015 analogue switch-off date. Worryingly, the laggards include South Africa. The ATU says that “at least” half of its members will miss the deadline for the introduction of all-digital TV. The ATU said the delays are due to […]

December 5, 2014By Chris Forrester

Kenya confirms DSO dates

As reported by Advanced-Television more than a week ago, Kenya has confirmed that its main analogue transmitters will be switched off on December 31st. Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) DG Francis Wangusi says the analogue switch-of will be implemented in three phases beginning with Nairobi and its suburbs. The second phase that will cover the […]

December 2, 2014By Chris Forrester

Kenya DSO imminent?

Kenya’s The Star newspaper is saying that its analogue TV signals are ready to be switched off. Quoting Francis Wangusi, director general of the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), as saying the exact date migration to digital television transmission will be decided in a meeting between stakeholders. “…. the switch off must happen before the […]

November 24, 2014By Chris Forrester

Thai viewers taking up ‘digi-Vouchers’

Thailand’s digital TV switch-over subsidy ‘voucher’ scheme was introduced a month ago to help low-paid viewers afford the switch to digital TV. In the month more than 1.2 million homes have redeemed their vouchers which can be used to help pay for a digital converter box, or help fund a new all-digital TV. A total […]

November 21, 2014By Chris Forrester

South Africa faces “dire” DSO

South Africa’s digital TV switchover is in a dire state said William Stucke, an outgoing advisor (councillor) to the country’s media regulator ICASA. Stucke was speaking at DISCOP’s 2014 event in Johannesburg on Nov 5. Stucke reminded delegates that countries such as the UK had taken up to 12 years to organise their analogue transition […]

November 7, 2014By Chris Forrester