SA’s Square Kilometre Array (SKA SA) yesterday appealed to the communication watchdog to ensure the central Karoo was not forgotten in the digital terrestrial television (DTT) migration plan.
SKA SA is concerned that the digital terrestrial TV regulations provide for digital broadcast coverage for 95% of the country, and that the Northern Cape area of the Karoo, where the telescope is situated, may be excluded because of the low population density.
The move to digital was key to the telescope’s performance, SKA SA told the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) in its submission at hearings on draft regulations this week.
The site is protected by the Astronomy Geographic Advantage Act of 2007, which in effect prohibits all activities that might adversely affect the operation of the radio telescope — including radio and analogue frequencies. The telescope will not be affected by digital frequencies.
SKA SA also asked Icasa for clarity on when the analogue system would be switched off, as the signal affects the telescope. The digital terrestrial TV regulations stipulate the digital signal will be switched on at the end of the 2012-13 financial year, but do not give a date for the analogue switch-off. SKA SA said it was required by the end of 2015.
SKA SA’s radio frequency interference and site characterisation manager, Adrian Tiplady, said after the hearing: “We want to ensure that the interests of the SKA are going to be prioritised and will be expedited.
“The protection regime we’ve established under the Astronomy Geographic Advantage Act is aligned with the time scale for digital migration, and what we are ensuring is that those time scales do not change or slip.”
Meanwhile, MTN has urged the parties involved in broadcasting digital migration to fast-track the process so radio frequency spectrum can be released for the provision of telecoms services.
Digital migration is expected to free up the spectrum the mobile operators anxiously want to provide next-generation high-speed internet services.
MTN said: “Digital migration is foremost about the freeing up of the spectrum….
“In the interest of transparency and certainty, and to ensure an efficient, sustainable and competitive information and communications technology industry, the allocation of the digital dividend (spectrum freed up from the migration) should be clarified, and it should accommodate all industry stakeholders.”
MTN was also critical of proposals to use the universal service and access fund for broadcasting activities to subsidise set-top boxes, saying the communications minister had no legislative powers to use the fund in that manner.
The set-top boxes will be used to receive the digital signal.
MTN said the broadcasting digital migration policy mentioned that alternatives would be sought to provide subsidies, but only the universal service and access fund had been identified.
“MTN is not convinced that the minister has the legislative powers to pronounce that (the fund) should be used for the purposes of subsidising set-top boxes ,” the company said.
It said the money should be used for, among other things, improving broadband access to meet the Department of Communications’ target of 100% broadband connectivity by 2020.
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Article source: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=167343