Minister of communications Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri has emphasised the need for SA to modernise its infrastructure to achieve higher rates of investment.
She was speaking during the weekend at a press briefing of the sixth Presidential International Advisory Council on Information Society and Development.
The president and deputy president, ICT experts, business leaders and entrepreneurs attended the meeting.
Matsepe-Casaburri said that digital migration in SA would have to take an accelerated path in order to reduce "double illumination".
"Migration will take place over a shorter period of time in SA than in other countries."
She explained that because digitisation will require people to buy new TV sets, which will initially be costly, the government plans to have set-top boxes. These boxes will allow for people to still use their analogue sets, while also creating an opportunity for the manufacturing of set-top boxes.
The minister proposed the following for consideration:
* The provision of licence fees for new frequencies to fund the manufacturing of set-top boxes for the portion of the population below a certain living standard measure.
* The use of digital terrestrial broadcasting as the main network and digital satellite for gap-filling, and making 2008 the last year for sale of analogue TV in SA.
Matsepe-Casaburri also conveyed government`s commitment to tackling skills shortages. "We are aware that SA suffers from a skills shortage in ICT and we have to do something urgent about it."
She also emphasised the significant role wireless broadband would play in bridging the digital divide. "Unless we do something about our rural areas, these will always remain in the periphery."
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