Digital migration progress: What the numbers say
Over 50 000 households have not been located for set-top box distribution and installations, says the communications department.
According to a recent briefing by the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), over 50,000 households that registered for government-subsidised set-top boxes (STBs) have gone missing during the decoder distribution and installation process. This revelation came during a meeting of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies.
South Africa is still working to finalize its broadcasting digital migration (BDM) programme, which aimed to switch from analogue to digital TV by June 2015, as mandated by the International Telecommunication Union. The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), in collaboration with Sentech, is leading the BDM project, which has faced numerous challenges over the years, including numerous leadership changes, delays, and litigation.
The department spent nearly R2 billion on dual-illumination, and the process of analogue switch-off and STB installation is a crucial aspect of the delayed project. Some members of Parliament have expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace and inefficiencies of the BDM programme, describing it as wasteful and fruitless spending.
The DCDT director-general, Nonkqubela Jordan-Dyani, confirmed that the government has not yet decided on the switchover date. The department is currently conducting a data cleaning and packaging process, facilitated by the State IT Agency, to remove duplicate applications and ensure the successful completion of distribution and installation.
As of September 2015, the target of registered households for STB distribution and installation was reduced from 447,815 to 401,803. Of the 401,803 target, 290,506 installations have been successfully completed and verified, while 1,128 beneficiaries have rejected the STB installation due to their migration or changed economic conditions.
Additionally, about 6,891 installations are currently in progress, 13,385 are under quality assurance, and 3,422 installations are in a work-in-progress state due to unlocatable households.
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