Johannesburg High Court delays analogue switch off from March 31 to June 30

SOUTH Africa’s full migration from analogue broadcasting services to digital has been delayed by three months.

The Johannesburg High Court, dismissing the applications of e.tv and other intervening parties with costs, deferred the analogue switch-off from the March 31 deadline to June 30.

The move has been welcomed by Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who said that the deferment would provide government sufficient time to complete the installations of set top boxes (STBs) for registered households.

“The new date coincides with the date the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) had determined and announced as the end of the transition period for the broadcasting services and signal distributors to vacate the 800 MHz and 700 MHz bands,” she said.

Icasa on Monday resolved that April 1 to June 30 will constitute a transitional period for broadcasting service licensees and signal distributors to ensure a seamless transition process for the switch-off of the remaining analogue transmitters.

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