The National Association of Manufacturers in Electronics Components (Namec) may go to court over government's decision to use the European DVB-T2 standard to move to digital broadcasting.
The association, which claims to represent about 80 emerging electronics and software companies in SA, argues the Department of Communication's (DOC's) decision followed a flawed process, and will marginalise emerging software and electronics companies.
Last Friday, communications minister Roy Padayachie said Cabinet had endorsed a Southern African Development Community (SADC) decision to use the European DVB-T2 digital standard to migrate from analogue broadcast.
Chairman Keith Thabo says using DVB-T2 instead of the Brazilian upgrade to the Japanese ISDB-T standard will marginalise smaller companies, because they will not have access to intellectual property, as this will be held by the giants in the industry.
Thabo argues migrating by using ISDB-T would allow SA's economy to develop small and emerging companies in the software and electronics sector.
He says ISDB-T would spur the development of local intellectual property, allow for greater interactivity for e-government services, and can be used to develop local software content. DVB-T2 does not provide a platform for these functions, he argues.
Namec will start lobbying government and engage with unions to get government to change its mind, says Thabo. However, if that fails, the organisation may resort to a legal route to ensure emerging manufacturers also have access to intellectual property, he adds.
Last year, Namec signed a cooperation agreement with Brazil's digital TV forum, SBTVD. The accord is aimed at creating a “Technical Cooperation Group” to promote digital TV in SA, and was anticipated to lead to a transfer of skills in digital TV software from Brazil to SA.
In addition, Namec members, who are emerging black technology manufacturers, will benefit, Thabo explained in November.
Stepping back
SA initially decided to use DVB-T, the forerunner to DVB-T2, in 2006. The industry spent at least R700 million gearing up for switchover, which was meant to be complete in November this year.
However, the process stalled when the Brazilian government approached SA to punt its digital standard early last year. Government embarked on a process of investigating ISDB-T and officials visited Brazil to see the technology at work.
Towards the end of last year, a Japanese and Brazilian team visited SA to trial ISDB-T for a limited period. The trials were hailed as a success by the Japanese, but local broadcasters complained the signal interfered with normal programming.
Although the Brazilians and Japanese have lost out on their bid to convert SA and the SADC region to ISDB-T, the Japanese respect SA's decision, says Masa Sugano, economic and commercial first secretary for the Embassy of Japan in SA and Namibia.
“Our doors will always be open for the future. We also look forward to further cooperation in the wider telecommunication and broadcastings fields between the two countries,” says Sugano.
Only two SADC countries out of 14 have elected to use ISDB-T.
SA's decision to use DVB-T2 has been hailed by the industry and broadcasters as a step in the right direction.
The DOC was not immediately available to comment this morning.
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