South Africa’s never-ending road to digital adoption was dealt another blow with the production of locally built set-top boxes ceasing because of a legal action. In May the country’s Supreme Court set aside the government’s decision not to include encryption software into its digital set-top boxes. Universal Service and Access Agency of SA, a major […]
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa has launched an inquiry into the subscription television broadcasting services market. The purpose of the inquiry is to, among others, define the relevant wholesale and retail markets or market segments in the subscription television broadcasting, taking into account the relationship, if any, and the impact from adjacent markets […]
There are still a few dozen legal challenges to India’s mandatory roll-out of digitisation of the nation’s cable systems, but India’s Information & Broadcasting ministry (MIB) says that 41 million set-top boxes have been deployed in the nation’s Phase III regions, and this is a “near 100 per cent” adoption. The 42 on-going legal objections […]
The FCC’s latest spectrum auction has something of a twist, in that current holders of valuable spectrum can sell off unwanted bandwidth in the auction. Nevertheless, the FCC is expecting another set of records will be broken and observers have suggested that anything between $60-$100 billions-worth of bandwidth will be re-allocated as ‘old’ TV broadcast […]
South African free-to-air broadcaster e.tv has been successful its appeal against minister of communications Faith Muthambi’s digital migration policy, which the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) described as “irrational”. According to the SCA, Muthambi’s amendment of the policy “did not achieve its purpose and was thus irrational and invalid” and set it aside. Already having […]
Satellite operator SES has signed a multi-year agreement with Cable Channels Nigeria (CCNL) to provide a strategic, reliable and stable video platform, via SES’s prime orbital position 28.2 degrees East, for the provision of DTT and DTH broadcast platforms in Nigeria. SES will utilise teleport services provided by its local partner Computer Warehouse Group (CWG). […]
Despite several delays and postponements in its quest to switch off analogue TV transmissions, South Africa’s senior ministerial officials now insist that digital TV implementation is close. SA’s Department of Communications spokesman Mish Molakeng, speaking ahead of minister Faith Muthambi’s budget vote on May 5th, said the department was hopeful the migration would be completed […]
3.3 million HD adaptors and 1.3 million HD TV sets were bought by French viewers ahead of the DTT HD switch in the night on April 4th/5th. According to a survey from Toluna for French magazine LSA, 63.6 per cent of the 6 million households concerned who were still receiving DTT channels via a TV […]
In November 2014, UK comms regulator Ofcom decided that the 700 MHz spectrum band – which currently houses digital terrestrial television (DTT) and wireless microphones used for programme making and special events (PMSE) – would be repurposed for mobile data services. Ofcom intends to avoid undue disruption to DTT viewers and to safeguard the benefits […]
Nigeria’s National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has taken delivery of its first batch of 50,000 set-top boxes which it will use to kick-start its analogue to digital conversion process. The boxes will initially be seeded into Jos, in Plateau State, says NBC’s Director of Public Affairs, Mallam Awalu Salihu. He added that the nation is still […]