ASO date may be reviewed

South Africa’s, end 2011, Analogue Switch Off (ASO) date may be reviewed according to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa’s (ICASA) councilor Robert Nkuna, reports Rapid TV News. “The authority will consider advising the minister to review the current dual illumination [simulcast] period, since commercial switch-on did not take place on November 1, 2008, as initially planned,” said Nkuna.
ICASA opened a consultation on the proposed regulation of DTT in April and a finalised broadcast frequency plan is expected at the end of August. Three multiplexes are planned, the first providing free to view services from public service broadcaster SABC, the second providing free to view services from commercial broadcasters and the third Pay TV services conditional on M-Net completing its analogue switch off within one year.
DTT services would be available to 50% of the population by the end of 2009 and 95% by the end of 2011.
Southern African Development Community countries, which include Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe as well as South Africa and a host of smaller nations, recently agreed to aim for digital switchover by 2013.
Source: Rapid TV News
Item added: 20th July 2009