South Africa publishes DTT regulations for final public consultation

JOHANNESBURG — The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has published the Digital Terrestrial Television regulations for final public consultation. The regulations have five main objectives which are to set out the time frames for the rollout of the digital terrestrial television throughout the country, provide accessible and quality television broadcasting, prescribe a procedure and conditions for assignment of multiplexes to the existing television broadcasting services, to regulate the transmission of terrestrial broadcasting services from analogue transmission to digital terrestrial transmission during the dual illumination period. The regulations will further seek to provide for the allocation and authorisation of digital incentive channels.

The Authority held the first public hearings in November 2008. With this consultation process, the Authority also seeks to consult on the following new issues: provision for the dual illumination period, link the introduction of competition with the end of the dual illumination period, provide a mechanism to deal with offences and penalties, allow for trials by other interested persons, enable for the provision of mobile services such as DVB-H on the DTT multiplex, provide for M-Net to conduct a hard switch-over within a period of twelve (12) months, thus allowing an early release of the digital dividend.

Interested parties are encouraged to submit written representations by 30 April 2009 for the attention of Ms Refilwe Ramatlo using any of the following means

Block A, PinMill Farm
164 Katherine Street
Page 2
Sandton
1622
Fax: (011) 566 3252
Email: rramtlo@icasa.org.za or lpholosi@icasa.org.za

The input from the public will be used in the finalisation of the regulations.