Uganda’s transition to Digital TV. Where are we now? (II)
As reported in one of the local dailies, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has directed TV broadcasters to plan for digital TV using DVBT-2 capable equipment. DVBT-2 is the second generation of of Digital Video Broadcasting and ensures spectrum usage efficiency of up to 50% while providing for better quality HDTV. Uganda joins countries such as South Africa and the UK that have joined this standard. Read more at Daily Monitor
Considering that Uganda is already way behind in meeting the December 2012 migration date, I think this is a good move. The UCC directive may not be warmly welcomed by the existing providers who are using the older DVB-T standard, but I believe, this will open up the market to cheaper alternatives.
Throughout this process, I have been bothered, by the perception among our people that getting digital TV means signing up with one of the pay TV providers like DSTV, Star, Go or Zuku TV. May be the UCC needs to better inform Ugandans that the switch, will only cost one a conversion box or Zero if you already own a TV with a digital TV built-in tuner! By the way, those boxes, now that DVB-T2 is the preferred standard should be cheaper and even affordable when subsidized.
What do you think?