The Department of Communications (DOC) is facilitating the registration process of households in Boshof, west of Bloemfontein in the Free State, to receive free set-top-boxes for digital migration.
This is in line with minister Ayanda Dlodlo's commitment to see all South Africans migrate from analogue to digital terrestrial television (DTT), says the DOC.
With Dlodlo at the helm, the communications department has committed to proceed with the implementation of DTT and meet its December 2018 switch-off deadline.
Earlier this month, the DOC announced it would visit certain communities in the Free State to drive public awareness and encourage registration for the STBs.
According to the department, hundreds of community members in Boshof attended the broadcasting digital migration information session to register for government-subsidised decoders.
Government has committed to supply five million subsidised STBs to qualifying TV-owning South African households.
The broadcasting digital migration policy states that any local household with a combined income of less than R3 200 qualifies for a 100% subsidised digital migration decoder.
Dlodlo says: "I have full appreciation of the impact the digital migration project is set to have in the economy of this country. The primary aim of digital migration is to release valuable spectrum which will be used to provide new services such as wireless and other broadband services.
"Furthermore, moving from analogue to digital will allow the digital dividend spectrum to be released to enable the development of more television and other services for consumers. Digital terrestrial television signals are also expected to reach people who live in areas that cannot currently receive them because of spectrum limitations," she adds.
Meanwhile, this week, ITWeb revealed the Universal Services and Access Agency of SA (USAASA) has filed an application with the North Gauteng High Court to review the process that was followed in appointing 26 companies to manufacture the STBs.
USAASA, the agency charged with the responsibility of managing the production and installation of STBs, is asking the High Court to determine a way forward in the continued process of manufacturing the decoders.
Although the court has still to hear USAASA's application, such a move will potentially put another spanner in the future production of STBs as well as the country's digital migration process.
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