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STATE OF READINESS ON DIGITAL MIGRATION

STATE OF READINESS ON DIGITAL MIGRATION. Independent Communications Authority of South Africa September 2011. Digital Migration Regulations. ICASA published the Digital Migration Regulations in Government Gazette No. 32956 in February 2010.

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STATE OF READINESS ON DIGITAL MIGRATION

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  1. STATE OF READINESS ON DIGITAL MIGRATION Independent Communications Authority of South Africa September 2011

  2. Digital Migration Regulations • ICASA published the Digital Migration Regulations in Government Gazette No. 32956 in February 2010. • ICASA has reviewed the Digital Migration regulations in light of the Cabinet decision on the DVB-T2 standard for Digital Terrestrial Television and the Minister’s publication of the amendment of the Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy. • As part of its review, ICASA has participated in the DoC’s multi-stakeholder workshop on the DTT launch in May 2011 and the DoC’s DTT readiness workshop in August 2011. At these workshops, ICASA has listened to and engaged with stakeholders on the issue of changing the Digital Migration Regulations.

  3. Ministerial Policy Amendment • Amendment of Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy issued under Government Gazette No. 31408 on 08 September 2008 (“the Ministerial Policy Amendment”) in Government Gazette No. 34538 of 19 August 2011. • Amendment affirms the Cabinet decision that DVB-T2 is the standard for digital terrestrial television and sets a new timetable for digital migration. • The new timetable specifies that `the switch-on date of the broadcasting digital signal and the switch-off date of the analogue signal should be April 2012, and December 2013 respectively’.

  4. Implications of DVB-T2 • DVB-T2 doubles the capacity available in the two multiplexes. • SABC, e.tv and M-Net would have double the number of channels than they would have had under DVB-T1. • It is thus necessary to assess the implications of this increase on the allocation of capacity in the multiplexes to terrestrial television broadcasting services.

  5. Implications of new timetable • The new timeline for digital switch-on in April 2012 and analogue switch-off in December 2013 places great pressure on all stakeholders to put in place a range of complex systems to firstly achieve a successful DTT launch and then to persuade consumers to acquire digital Set Top Boxes and switch to DTT by the time of analogue switch-off. • DoC planning for DTT launch indicates that digital migration is a complex multi-stakeholder, multi-activity project in which a breakdown in any one sphere of activity has a knock-on effect on the delivery of other activities. A project of this scale is thus replete with dependencies and risks in its implementation.

  6. Shortcomings of DM Regulations • Use the concept of an `incumbent broadcasting licensee’ and proceed to lock in the dominance of such broadcasters in the allocation of capacity on multiplexes. • This approach was understandable in view of the limited capacity available in DVB-T1 but does not hold for DVB-T2 with its increased capacity. The risk of this approach is amplified should analogue switch-off be delayed for any reason. • Exclude newly licensed community television stations like Soweto TV or Cape TV from allocation of capacity on multiplexes. • Only permit applications for digital TV channel authorisation during the performance period for dual illumination which will delay DTT launch.

  7. Repeal of DM Regulations • ICASA plans to repeal the Digital Migration regulations and publish Digital Terrestrial Television regulations for public comment • Public comment period will run in tandem with the DoC’s public consultations on the Policy Amendment and the public hearings on the DTT regulations will only take place after the Minister’s digital migration policy amendment has been finalised. • It is necessary to run the two processes together to mitigate further delay to the digital migration process and ICASA envisages the DTT regulations being finalised in December 2011. • ICASA’s current thinking is that the commencement of the performance period for dual illumination and the proposed digital switch-on date of April 2012 should be the same date.

  8. Digital Terrestrial Television Regulations • It is clearly specified that digital migration to Digital Terrestrial Television will take place using the Second Generation Digital Video Broadcast Transmission (DVB-T2) standard. • The definition of an `incumbent broadcasting licensee’ is removed and replaced with the concept of a `terrestrial television broadcasting service’. • There is a reduction of the capacity allocated to the SABC, e.tv and M-Net in Multiplexes 1 and 2. They will still have more capacity under DVB-T2 than they were allocated under DVB-T1. • Community television broadcasting services are allocated 10% of Multiplex 1 on the basis of their existing licence coverage area.

  9. DTT Regulations • Community television broadcasting services will not be required to dual illuminate – the aim is that they should complete their migration by the end of the dual illumination period. • Community television broadcasting services will not be entitled to digital incentive channels as they are not required to dual illuminate. • A percentage of both multiplexes is reserved for future use, in view of the unpredictability and complexity of the digital migration process. • The channel authorisation procedure enables terrestrial television broadcasting services to apply for channel authorisation to ICASA before the commencement of the performance period.

  10. Square Kilometre Array Project • All Broadcasting Frequency Assignments will be subjected to AGA Act No. 21 of 2007. • ICASA is following a separate process to deal with existing frequency assignments. • All theoretical sites are removed from the plan in the Northern Cape SKA demarcated area. • A process has been undertaken to re-plan all the sites to ensure compliance and will be published. • This will be published as an amendment.

  11. Technical Standards • ICASA is participating in the SABS process for reviewing SANS 862 standards for Set Top Boxes. • Type Approval will be based on this and other standards such as ETSI. • Type approval can commence once the SANS 862 standards have been finalised. • ICASA is ready to commence with type approval of STBs.

  12. Priorities for Digital Terrestrial Television • Repeal of the Digital Migration regulations • Publication of Digital Terrestrial Television regulations for public comment and finalisation by December 2011 • Gazetting the performance period for dual illumination • Digital TV Channel authorisation process • SKA regulatory process • Type approval process for STBs

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