GOING by the snail speed development currently trailing Nigeria’s planned transition from analogue to digital transmission, indications are high that the country may miss out in the $82 billion digital dividend forecast expected to accrue to GDPs of markets in sub-Saharan Africa after the completion of the exercise.Indeed, in accordance with guidelines established in 2006 by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), of which Nigeria is a member, broadcast stations are expected to complete the switch from analogue to digital platforms by June 17.Already, the out-going ITU Secretary-General, Hamadoun Toure has ruled out any possibility of extension of the June 17 date. But the need for the transition is to improve overall audio and visual quality and is also a means of allowing for more channels and viewing options.
This is because digital television uses up spectrum far more efficiently than analogue transmission. As such the execution of countries digital terrestrial TV (DTT) migration strategy is expected to free up excess spectrum that will then be reallocated to telecommunications operator, an outcome that is known as a digital dividend.
According to the GSM Association (GSMA), if the transition is properly and timely executed, it is anticipated that the sale of analogue frequencies no longer used by broadcasters could bring the government over $2 billion.
Additionally, GSMA research indicated that through the release of digital dividend spectrum, sub-Saharan Africa stands to increase its yearly regional GDP by $82 billion by 2025, while in the process earning $18 billion in incremental tax revenues and creating 27 million jobs.
Information gathered shows thatwhile digital dividend spectrum can be viewed as a big ticket item that could ultimately facilitate broadband roll-out of Long Term Evolution networks, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) are also exploring opportunities for using TV ‘whitespaces’, or the vacant and unused frequencies that can be made available at locations where spectrum is not being used for licensed services, to help achieve last mile connectivity in rural areas.
However, the NBC has ruled out extension of digital switch over, stressing that the first phase of the plan started in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Kano January 1, 2015.
But speaking in an NTA Programme on the Digital Transition late December 2014, Chairman of DigiTeam, Edward Amana said in spite of obvious challenges, the commission will go ahead to switch-over from analogue to digital broadcasting.
“We do not have a choice. We have to, because there are so many implications of cannot switch-over. We will become an island on our own. We cannot get protection from our neighbouring countries who have already gone digital. Apart from that, after the transition, the analogue equipment becomes obsolete. And for you to maintain the equipment it becomes extremely expensive.
“However, we are going to transit in phases. What we are going to do is to take the major cities first and move to the rural areas. We will probably start Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano, Kaduna during the phase one. In phase two, we will move to other cities till we go round. As we move from cities to others, we can learn from the mistakes and correct ourselves. That way, we will be able to fast-track our transition”, he stated.
According to him, the team planned public enlightenment campaigns, adding that if the public fail to appreciate the transition, it might affect the whole process.
He informed that the assignment of the DigiTeam is to draw the roadmap for the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting in Nigeria.
“There are many implications for this, both business models, regulatory issues and the people at home who currently have the analogue receivers in their houses. There is this apprehension that if we change from the analogue to digital, are we going to throw away our current television sets and buy new ones or what?
“Aside the inauguration of the team, government has to improve on the regulation. There are issues with the current regulations that need to be amended. To an extent, government has to provide some seed money for the transition. For the people at home; currently, if you have an analogue television, you will need to buy a set-up box to be able to enjoy the digital signals. And for the broadcasting houses, there are two categories of situation.
“The way they do their production now will have to change. Those who do not have digital equipment will have to upgrade their studios to be able to produce digital programming. And the programming will have to include some level of synopsis as a guide to the viewers at home, because they that are at homes will expect more from the programs broadcasters produce.
“The era will give producers enough capacity to innovate their programs. You can imbed in your programming a guide which gives a run-down of what is coming maybe in the next one week or so. So that, I as a viewer will check and find out the ones I want to watch and set my recorder to record during the period it is coming up. The synopsis gives the parent and idea if the program is suitable for the children to watch or not, so they can also help in censoring it their own way”.
From the transmission point of view, the Chairman said that the existing analogue has to change to digital as it will involve upgrading existing transmitters or acquiring new ones.
“But, we have agreed one, which government has adopted is, rather than every station buying a digital transmitter, some signal carriers will be appointed that will be responsible for transmission, so that broadcasters can engage themselves in the production of local contents or programming. If you have the capacity, you should have the equipment to produce. Once the burden of buying new transmitter is taken off the shoulders of the broadcaster, the savings can go into content production,” he said.
Recalled that earlier in December also, the Director-General of NBC, Emeka Mba had at a meeting with the Electronic Media Content Owners Association of Nigeria, ruled out the possibility of the January 1 deadline date for Nigeria.
“The January deadline is no more possible. We can’t meet it. We still do not have funding. Our country is going through a difficult time and we just have to face reality. In terms of economy, oil price is falling. Security is also a challenge. We remain optimistic that we will continue to work towards it; we will be pushing for June, at least”, he stated.
Mba said that though meeting the deadline was not a matter of life and death, there could be problems of interferences if neighbouring countries transited, while Nigeria remained in the analogue realm.
He thus noted that some of the options open to Nigeria include starting the migration in border areas, focusing first on major cities, while still discussing with countries in the sub-region.
Mba stressed that digital TV was the ultimate because of the multiplicity of channels/contents and the enhanced quality it offers.
Already, the Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) has projected that Nigerians would have to spend an estimated N700 billion to purchase decoders to continue watching television after July 31, 2015.
The CWG said except there was a policy turnaround before then, all analogue television transmission in Nigeria would cease.
Source:ngrguardiannews.com
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