has identified the reshaping of the digital landscape as a policy priority. The government is pushing hard to finalise digital migration - moving analogue television broadcasts to a new digital platform,"digital terrestrial television".railed against opponents of digital migrationbridge the digital divide, especially on a continent where the majority of our people remain unconnected and without access to technology. We cannot afford to be left behind, irrespective of any other agendas.
At the heart of the problem is the fact that the frequency spectrum has limited space for the radio, television, cellphone and other signals it carries. Newer digital technologies dramatically increase carrying capacity, and the ballooning demand for digital services has created massive demand for additional spectrum to be released. The lack of bandwidthHowever, the traditional broadcasters are in the way.
The government has had some success on the other end of the digital migration problem. After long and complex court battles, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa successfully held anThe amount far exceeded expectations and reflects how valuable frequency space is. Treasury will be glad of the tidy windfall, too.The problem is that the real estate has been sold while its old occupants are still in possession and fighting attempts to move them off.
The government has been rolling out the free set-top boxes that will allow people with old television sets to receive the new digital signal. But the process is far behind schedule., out of a qualifying total of 3.75 million.that most of those left out had not registered for support. The government could only take responsibility for those who had, the minister said in court papers.