GOtv - DVB-T2 Goes Africa
Multichoice Africa is rolling-out a full Pan-African DVB-T2 network with a total bouquet of more than 50 different channels in various languages over 15 countries. The GOtv Africa DVB-T2 pay-TV service is already on the air in Zambia, Kenya, and Uganda and more countries such as Nigeria are expected to follow soon.
In Kenya the service went live in Nairobi on 14 September 2011 and should reach national coverage by the end of the year.
DVB Members Pace and ENENSYS are providing the set-top box and network solutions, which also include advanced DVB-T2 features such as Multiple-PLP, SFN and local content integration.
Source: DVB
Item added: 3rd October 2011
Uganda picks technical team to advise on DTT migration
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has hired a team of technical experts from the ITU to offer advice on the requirements for switching to digital broadcasting. The process is set to begin next month. Fred Otunnu, a spokesman for the UCC, told local paper the Monitor that the team will carry out field studies nationwide and provide a report on the technology and money Uganda needs for the project.
Source: Telecompaper
Item added: 29th August 2011
Uganda stops offering Analogue Broadcast licences
Uganda has stopped offering analogue licenses to new TV channel operators as it prepares to migrate to digital television broadcasting, reports Digital TV Europe.net.
"With effect from today, we shall not issue any licence for analogue broadcasting. Even existing licenced operators should upgrade their equipment to enable digital broadcasting by December 2012," noted Godfrey Mutabaazi, executive director of the Uganda Communications Commission.
The country plans to simulcast analogue and digital stations until December 2012 when ASO will take place.
Source: Digital TV Europe.net
Item added: 31st January 2011
DVB-T2 possible for DTT service launch in 2011
Uganda is set to launch DTT services next year according to recent reports. The Uganda Broadcasting Corporation has been working alongside Multichoice Uganda, the local arm of the South African pay TV operator, to launch the service.
"Multichoice is very prepared for DTT and has been testing the DVB-T2 networks in Soweto, South Africa to ensure that this technology is the most efficient for the rollout into markets such as Uganda," said Charles Hamya, managing director Multichoice Uganda.
Source: Digital TV Europe
Item added: 20th December 2010
Star DTV connects 200,000 DVB-T subscribers in east Africa
East African digital TV service provider StarTimes is reaching around 200,000 subscribers in the region according to Kevin Chen its chief marketing officer in Uganda, reports East African Business Week.
StarTimes officially began its operations in Uganda in March 2010 and so far has a customer base of 30,000 subscribers. It also operates in 10 other countries including Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Nigeria and has its headquarters in Beijing China.
Chen said once connected, customers do not need to line up to renew their subscription because they buy a scratch card, load it and send a message and the subscription is renewed. "This kind of flexibility has made StarTimes very easy to use and affordable compared with other pay TV channels," said Chen. He said customers have liked their services because of the technology they use. "Customers cut costs because they do not need a dish to get connected which would come with added costs. All you need is Star DTV-enabled decoder," he noted. “The decoders have an attached antenna that works as a receiver in the place of a dish”.
Startimes has been competitive in the areas of entertainment, wildlife, fashion and news channels like BBC, Al Jazeera and France24. Chen further added that in Uganda they will be spreading to Mbarara in western Uganda and Gulu, northern Uganda early next year. ”We have a commitment with International Telecommunication Union to ensure that by 2012 Uganda has no analogue system,” noted Chen.
Main source: East African Business Week
Item added: 11th October 2010
DTT Pilot starts In Uganda
Uganda has launched a digital terrestrial television (DTT) pilot project in Kampala involving 200 households. Up to seven channels are available to viewers taking part in the trial.
The signals are being broadcast by Next Generation Broadcasting (NGB), a Swedish company, in partnership with the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC).
The current cost of STB’s in Uganda is put at between US50 (Shs 93,000) and US100 (Shs187,000).
ICT minister Aggrey Awori has told broadcasters that the government is considering subsidizing the cost of STB’s so as to encourage the transition from analogue to digital TV.
Currently less than 1 million TV sets are owned by Uganda’s 31 million people.
Uganda plans to complete its conversion from analogue to digital broadcasting by December 2012.
Source: Digital TV broadcast starts in Kampala (Monitor Daily)
Item added: 23rd November 2009
The information on these pages comes from many sources and whilst we try to ensure it is correct we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
Last page update: 3rd October 2011, Barry Tew
