Southern Africa Selects DVB-T2
After many meetings, presentations and months of uncertainty, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) digital task force has selected DVB-T2 with MPEG-4 compression as the terrestrial transmission standard for the region. By selecting the most future-proof solution SADC has underlined its slogan "Towards a Common Future".
SADC member countries include Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. All of the 15 countries had already selected DVB-T through the 2006 ITU Geneva agreements and can continue with this implementation if they have already started and migrate to DVB-T2 at a later date. It is expected that all SADC countries will each complete the formal adoption of DVB-T2 in the near future, paving the way for a very ambitious digital switchover date of December 2013.
One of its smallest members, Mauritius, has already completed the switch to DVB-T. South Africa, arguably its most influential member, has already performed many DVB-T trials and more recently DVB-T2 trials in Johannesburg as well. The South African broadcasting industry is strongly supporting the decision for DVB-T2 and is ready to help launch digital TV in South Africa and the region.
The official SADC decision and digital switchover planning can be found on the SADC website.
This important decision has also been widely covered in the press:

Broadband TV News

Tech Central

My Broadband

Screen Africa

The information on these pages comes from many sources and whilst DVB believe it to be correct we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
If you have any additional information or corrections please send an e-mail to dvb@dvb.org
Last page update: 31st January 2011, Barry Tew