Commercial television direct to mobile phones has taken another tentative step forward with the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) issuing an invitation to apply (ITA) for potential operators to obtain frequencies.
An ICASA statement says it is calling for interested individual electronic communications services, broadcasting services and electronic communications network services licensees to apply for frequencies to provide mobile digital video broadcasting services.
The statement says two metropolitan multiplexes have been set aside to enable a provision of mobile digital video broadcasting services, based on the Digital Video Broadcasting - Handheld (DVB-H) standard.
SA adopted the DVB-H standards as per the ministerial policy directive of September 2007. The standards are also consistent with the decisions adopted at the International Telecommunications Union Regional Radio Conference of 2006. Currently, frequencies are available in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town and the areas surrounding this metropolis.
“It is envisaged that, in the future and with the freeing-up of spectrum following the digital migration process, the authority may extend the coverage to other areas in SA,” the statement says.
The copy of the ITA can be accessed here, or from Government Gazette Notice 1505 published in GG: 31686, dated 5 December 2008.
The closing date for response is 27 February 2009.
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