After more delays and missed deadlines, the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies has set the final date for South Africa\u2019s analogue switch-off \u2013 now expected to take place on 31 December 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The department initially set the switch-off date for 31 March 2023 in December last year – but as has been the case for more than a decade, this deadline was missed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a new gazette published on Thursday (15 June), the department has now pegged 31 July 2023 for all analogue broadcasting services operating on frequencies above 694 MHz to switch off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All remaining services operating below this frequency will be temporarily accommodated, it said. The full switch-off will be on 31 December 2023 – 13 years after the original deadline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
12 years and 8 ministers later<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The switching off of analogue broadcasts and switching to digital is one of the measures President Cyril Ramaphosa hailed as a transformative step for the country’s economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In his latest letter to the public, the president said the switch-off date is vital for industries operating in the space – particularly mobile networks – to unlock better value and provide better services to citizens and businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the road to switching off has been long and filled with potholes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following many court battles \u2013 and several changes to the minister in charge of the process \u2013 the deadline for the switch-off has shifted many times over the last 12 years<\/a>, and is way off from the first planned termination date of November 2011.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The country aimed to have 80% digital TV signal coverage in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which kicked off on 11 June that year. Total switch-off of South Africa\u2019s analogue TV signal would have followed on 1 November 2011.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the government dithered with the process and juggled various vested interests from industry, South Africa missed the 17 June 2015 International Telecommunications Union deadline<\/a> to switch to digital broadcasting before a \u2018final\u2019 date was set for March 2022<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This was again delayed, and the department then set a deadline of 30 June 2022 for South Africa\u2019s analogue switch-off; however, this was declared irrational and unlawful by the Constitutional Court in a successful bid by broadcaster, E-tv.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, communication networks and broadcast services have deteriorated during this time, as both operators and broadcasters have been edging into each others\u2019 spectrum to provide services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the soon-to-be 13-year process, the department in charge has changed hands several times, with eight ministers overseeing the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The table below, compiled by MyBroadband, details the long list of target dates and delays on this journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The gazetted deadlines can be read here:<\/p>\n\n\n\nDeadline<\/strong><\/td> Milestone<\/strong><\/td> Outcome<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> 31 December 2006<\/td> Digital migration strategy delivery<\/td> Missed<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 1 June 2007<\/td> Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy (BDMP) publication<\/td> Missed<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 8 September 2008<\/td> Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy (BDMP) published<\/td> Late<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 1 November 2008<\/td> Digital terrestrial television switch-on<\/td> Achieved<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 11 June 2010<\/td> 80% digital TV signal coverage by FIFA World Cup<\/td> Missed<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 1 November 2011<\/mark><\/td> Analogue terrestrial TV switch-off \u2014 initial deadline (per Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri)<\/mark><\/td> Missed<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 30 April 2013<\/td> Potential analogue terrestrial TV switch-off (per ICASA)<\/td> Missed<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 31 December 2013<\/td> New analogue terrestrial TV switch-off deadline (per Minister Roy Padayachie)<\/td> Missed<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 17 June 2015<\/td> ITU deadline for analogue switch-off<\/td> Missed<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 31 December 2018<\/td> New analogue terrestrial TV switch-off deadline (per Muthambi)<\/td> Missed<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 30 June 2019<\/td> New analogue terrestrial TV switch-off deadline (per Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane)<\/td> Missed<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 31 July 2020<\/td> New analogue terrestrial TV switch-off deadline (per Minister Nomvula Mokonyane)<\/td> Missed<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 31 December 2021<\/td> New analogue terrestrial TV switch-off deadline (per Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams)<\/td> Missed<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 31 January 2022<\/td> New analogue terrestrial TV switch-off deadline (per Ndabeni-Abrahams, affirmed by Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni)<\/td> Missed<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 31 March 2022<\/td> New analogue terrestrial TV switch-off deadline (per Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni)<\/td> Delayed<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 30 June 2022<\/td> New analogue terrestrial TV switch-off deadline (per Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni)<\/td> Delayed<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 31 March 2023<\/td> \u2018Final\u2019 analogue terrestrial TV switch-off deadline (per Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni)<\/td> Delayed<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 31 July 2023<\/em><\/td> New analogue terrestrial TV switch-off deadline over 694 MHz (per Minister Mondli Gungubele)<\/em><\/td> Pending<\/em><\/mark><\/td><\/tr> 31 December 2024<\/em><\/td> New \u2018Final\u2019 analogue terrestrial TV switch-off deadline (per Minister Mondli Gungubele)<\/em><\/td> Pending<\/em><\/mark><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n