The communications ministry will ensure the over 500 000 households that registered for set-top boxes (STBs) timeously will receive the devices and be connected by no later than the revised analogue switch-off deadline.
This is according to Cabinet, which has welcomed the deferment of the analogue switch-off date from 31 March to 30 June.
As stated by communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, Cabinet says the new deadline gives government sufficient time to complete STB installations for qualifying households that registered by the initial cut-off date of 31 October 2021.
Government has undertaken to assist indigent households that apply for assistance, with STBs, which are required to convert digital broadcasting signals on analogue TV sets. Qualifying households − those with an income of R3 500 per month or less – are required to register for these devices at their nearest SA Post Office branch.
In a statement, Cabinet says all the 507 251 households that registered by 31 October 2021 will be connected no later than 30 June 2022. “The 260 868 households that registered between 31 October 2021 and 10 March 2022 will be connected to their STBs by 30 September 2022.
“Cabinet is confident the completion of this process will support the process of digital migration and the subsequent release of the high-demand frequency spectrum.”
The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), which is charged with driving SA’s ICT policy and digital transformation, is overseeing implementation of the crucial digital migration programme.
Ntshavheni’s department planned to shut down the country’s analogue TV signals, which would mark an end to dual-illumination in SA, on 31 March.
However, the decision was legally challenged by free-to-air broadcaster Etv, joined by community TV channels as well as the civil society campaign #SaveFreeTV.
Etv argued the move to switch-off analogue TV signals at the end of March will kill the businesses of free-to-air broadcasters.
The Pretoria High Court ordered a postponement of analogue switch-off by three monthsto 30 June, ruling against most of Etv’s applications.
After missing the International Telecommunication Union-mandated June 2015 migration deadline and numerous self-imposed deadlines, the DCDT is in a rush to conclude the digital migration process.
South Africa’s digital migration is important because it will make available the sub-1GB (800MHz-700MHz) spectrum that’s occupied by analogue TV signals to be freed up for mobile broadband services.
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