Altech's set-top box subsidiary, Altech UEC, has delivered thousands of decoders into international markets, ahead of SA moving to digital TV.
SA is set to turn on digital TV in the remote Karoo region next week, which should be followed about a month later by a national switch-on. This will allow people living in areas that have been upgraded by Sentech to transmit digital signal to view broadcast transmitted via the European DVB-T2 standard.
Digital TV is more efficient than analogue and takes up less space in current frequencies, while at the same time providing better clarity and the potential for high-definition programmes. However, national roll out will depend on the availability of set-top boxes (STBs).
The Department of Communications has yet to award a tender for the manufacture of about five million subsidised boxes, although this should happen next month. However, etv is taking the department to court over its decision to award the issue of conditional access controls to Sentech, which could delay switch on as it requires boxes to be available.
Etv's court bid could prevent manufacturers from moving ahead with producing decoders for about 11 million households that will need them until the matter is resolved.
In the meantime, ahead of local roll out, Altech Multimedia's device business continues to deliver digital terrestrial television set-top boxes into the Australian and European markets.
Altech UEC Australia has now delivered 141 000 decoders to the Australian market for digital migration, while Altech SetOne, a German-based distribution, logistics, STB repair and service business that the group recently acquired, has deployed more than 1.2 million boxes ahead of the European analogue switch-off.
Altech Multimedia, which includes Altech UEC SA, Altech UEC Australia and Altech Multimedia Europe (including Altech SetOne), turned over R803 million and made an operating profit of R29 million in the first half of the year.
Several years ago, the unit was loss-making.
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