Cabinet has decided the use of a control system in set-top boxes (STBs), that will be needed to view digital television, should not be mandatory.
It says, however, that STBs will "have a control system to protect government's investment in the subsidised STB market and the local electronics industry and, with rapid technological changes, for future use by broadcasters who might not want to use it now".
Clarity as to how the industry will manage the dual systems is awaited, as ITWeb was unable to get hold of either the Department of Communications or acting Cabinet spokesperson Phumla Williams. However, Cabinet's decision now means the signal will not be encrypted and, instead, broadcasters will be able to communicate with end-users whose boxes have controls.
SA has been migrating to digital television on the European DVB-T2 standard, but the move was derailed a year ago, when etv won a court bid to stop the department from mandating Sentech to manage encryption.
STB controls were initially provided for in the Broadcasting Digital Migration policy, which has since been amended. As controls are still provided for in South African Bureau of Standards' benchmarks, which would have to be amended, it is likely all locally-manufactured boxes will have controls.
Its decision was based on several factors, including the need to speed up digital migration, especially to release high-demand spectrum, Cabinet says. Once SA has migrated, access to space in the 800MHz range will become available, which can be used to speed up broadband rollout.
Cabinet adds it wants to stimulate the local electronics industry, create jobs and reduce the chance of the local market being "flooded by cheap STBs that are not fully functional".
Cabinet also wants to create space for new pay-television companies, while preventing them from benefiting from the subsidy. The state has earmarked R2.45 billion to cover the bulk of the cost of decoders for around five million homes.
"To avoid subscription broadcasters unfairly benefiting from the STB control system, government's investment in the STB control system will be recovered from those subscription broadcasters that choose to make use of the STB control system," it says.
Cabinet has urged all parties to move on from their previous differences and work together with government to roll out digital migration as soon as possible, in the country's interests.
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