Technical Committee on digital broadcasting presents report

Accra, Aug. 30, GNA - The National Digital Broadcasting Migration Technical Committee on the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting in the country, on Monday presented its report to Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Communications.

The 24-member committee was inaugurated in February, this year, to develop policy guidelines to consider Ghana's shift from analogue to digital broadcasting.

Mr Edmund Fianko, Secretary to the Committee said some benefits of digital broadcasting were higher spectrum of efficiency, better picture quality, quality clearer sound (CD quality audio), more stations, choice, and more interactivity including Electronic Programming Guides (EPG).

He said Ghana's migration to digital broadcasting was to comply with tenets of the GE-06 Agreement to meet the 2015 set date by International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Mr Fianko said the migration would in addition, prevent dumping of obsolete analogue television equipment into the country to protect both investors and consumers and enhance the quality and experience of television viewers in Ghana.

He said the committee organised a workshop on the concept of establishing a single signal distribution entity for broadcasting in Ghana through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) facilitated by experts from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).

Mr Fianko said the committee had drawn a proposed time table for the migration process, with the development of legal framework from September to October, public awareness campaign from September to December 2014, establishment of National Digital Migration implementation body in January 2011 and Licensing for Digital TV in January to March 2011.

He announced that nationwide roll-out of digital television would be from April 2011 to 2013, coverage of all regional capitals and environs in December 2012, phased analogue switch-off would be determined according to locations and conditions and completion of switchover in 2014.

Mr Iddrisu, receiving the report, commended efforts of the committee and said it would be presented to Cabinet for further deliberations and considerations.

He assured the committee of government's support for the proposed time table and would work assiduously to ensure effective implementation of the programme.

The Sector Minister said digital migration would allow more channels to be carried across fewer airwaves leading to greater convergence of services across the country with the National Communications Authority (NCA) working with the committee to ensure Ghana made smooth start towards digital migration.

Mr Iddrisu said the move towards digital migration called for a future of more channels, interactive services and adoption of the use of digital and terrestrial television sets capable of making television viewing exciting and controllable.

He said Ghanaians would receive television programmes using digital television sets or Set Top box to be connected to their analogue television sets to have access to digital transmission.