Digital TV delay?

The Department of Communications (DOC) wants to control the encryption device that will determine who can watch television after digital broadcasting goes live.

This has raised fears that the entire process will be delayed because set-top boxes will not be on shelves in time for switch-on.

Set-top boxes are vital for millions of people to continue watching television once analogue is finally switched off, a deadline that has been set for the end of 2013. About 10 million households will need boxes, and about half of those will be subsidised by government.

However, before manufacturers can start producing the decoders, several issues need to be wrapped up. At the heart of the yet-to-be resolved aspects is set-top box control, a mechanism that will encrypt broadcast signal, making it possible for stolen decoders to be disabled.

The control mechanism was initially set to be determined by free-to-air broadcasters etv and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). In August 2009, the stations jointly issued a request for proposals for digital terrestrial television set-top box control software.

However, the DOC is now weighing in on this issue, arguing that leaving controls up to current players could cut off competition in the sector, which is expected to delay the process of getting boxes into shops on time. Publicly available decoders are vital for a smooth transition to digital.

The DOC's statements have also raised concerns that government could use the mechanism to cut off about four million people who have not paid their TV licences.

Migrating to digital television will free up large chunks of spectrum, which will pave the way for more television channels and open up frequency for mobile operators. SA is migrating using the European DVB-T2 standard, which is 50% more effective than its predecessor, Cabinet's initial choice.

Digital television has been on the cards for several years, but stalled when ousted minister Siphiwe Nyanda decided to examine the use of the Brazilian ISDB-T standard, raising the ire of the industry, which had been gearing up to go digital based on Cabinet's 2006 decision to use DVB-T.

In December last year, current communications minister Roy Padayachie decided SA would use DVB-T2. He also set an ambitious digital turn-on time frame of April next year and analogue switch-off at the end of 2013.

Despite the passage of almost a year, several issues are outstanding that urgently require attention. Chief of these is the issue of set-top box controls, an aspect that is unlikely to be resolved soon, as the DOC now wants to take control of the process.

The department's acting deputy DG for ICT policy development, Norman Munzhelele, tells ITWeb that leaving the control issue in the hands of the incumbent broadcasters could raise the barriers of entry for new players.

“Government needs to have control over the system,” which would eliminate it being abused, says Munzhelele. He adds that the process has almost been completed, but did not give a time frame for when it would be wrapped up.

However, if the DOC takes over the process, it would result in manufacturing being delayed, says broadcast engineer Gerhard Petrick. Manufacturers cannot produce decoders without finalisation on the mechanism, which would result in South Africans not being able to watch digital TV when it is turned on in April, he notes.

Manufacturers previously indicated it will take at least eight months from when government finally signs off on outstanding issues, to getting boxes onto supermarket shelves.

Pearl Seopela, chief director of communications at the department, says final issues are being sorted out, which will allow manufacturing to start. She says standards issues, including set-top box controls, will be wrapped up in October.

Seopela says the implementation project plan has been presented to Parliament, Sentech is currently upgrading its network, a set-top box strategy will soon be presented to Parliament and draft South African Bureau of Standards criteria should be gazetted next month.

Manufacturers of subsidised boxes, for which government has set aside R2.45 billion, should be appointed by year-end, and then producers can go ahead, Seopela explains. She says it is “vital” to have boxes on shelves for when digital is turned on to ensure smooth adoption. “The department is confident that the set timelines will be met.”

Petrick argues that implementing controls on the boxes could end distribution of free-to-air television in SA, as it could be used as a mechanism to enforce payment of TV licences.

Although a legal requirement, forcing consumers to pay in order to watch TV would impact the poor and vulnerable who do not have resources, says Petrick. In addition, if people are simply switched off, there is likely to be litigation, he adds.

In its 2010 annual report, the SABC says its ability to collect licence fees was hampered by poor economic conditions, negative publicity and a strike by postal workers. The unit underperformed during the year, it says.

According to a report, about four million people had not paid their licence fees by the middle of the year. A licence costs R250 a year and R70 a year for people who receive a social grant, or are pensioners. This discounted rate must be applied for at the SABC.

Petrick adds that a control mechanism would add at least $2 to the cost of each box, which would translate into at least an extra $20 million - or R153 million - to the project, for which consumers will have to pay. “We will be paying for a system that may reduce our rights,” he says.

In addition, cutting off signal to select boxes is a complicated process, notes Petrick. He points out that if the system crashes, no one in SA will be able to watch TV.

Should production be delayed because the department wants to manage the control issue, at least this aspect can be debated, says Petrick. “I hope common sense prevails.”

In 2008, Nyanda told Parliament, during his budget speech, that the control system “will not be used to switch off viewers”.