Digital Migration in Zambia: awareness about the Country`s

By
MALOLELA LUSAMBO
MEMBER OF DIGITAL MIGRATION TASKFORCE
29TH AUGUST 2013
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Radio broadcast started in 1941 in Lusaka
TV broadcast started in 1961 as private in
B/W
◦ Meant to entertain white miners
◦ Was called Rhodesia Television Limited(RTL)
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At independence, 1964, changed to Zambia
Television Limited
1967 – government took full control
1977- Colour TV introduced but confined to
Kitwe & Lusaka
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1980 : Japanese Grant Aid to roll out VHF
along line of rail
20kW VHF in Kitwe, Kapiri- Mposhi, Lusaka,
Pemba and Senkobo
NO. OF
BROADCASTERS
EXISTING ANALOGUE
TRANSMISSION
SITES
PUBLIC /STATE
BROADCASTER
1
67
PRIVATE
BROADCASTERS
8
10
BROADCASTER
4
 Digital
Migration : digital television
transition, or digital switchover or analogue
switch-off

is a process in which analog terrestrial
television broadcasting is converted to and
replaced by digital terrestrial television.
 17TH
JUNE 2015

To receive digital terrestrial television ,
consumers will need to do either of the
following:
◦ Connect a set top box(STB) to the existing
analogue television. The set top box will convert
digital signals to analogue so that the signal to the
old television is analogue; or
◦ Buy new television set with an integrated digital
tuner.
Fig. Analog Terrestrial Transmission
Fig. Typical Digital Terrestrial
Transmission
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At the 2006, ITU Regional Radio
Conference(RRC) members agreed to plan for
digital terrestrial broadcast for Sound & Video
for Region 1
Digital sound broadcast referred to as T-DAB
Digital video broadcast referred to as DVB-T
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The 2006 conference culminated into a
Digital Plan for Region 1 for VHF and UHF
174-230 MHz. (VHF)
470-862 MHz. (UHF)
REGION 1
EUROPE , AFRICA FORMER SOVIET STATES, MIDDLE
EAST & THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
REGION 2
NORTH & SOUTH AMERICA, GREENLAND AND THE
CARIBBEAN
REGION3
ASIA AND OCEANIA COUNTRIES
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The Plan was ratified at the World Radio
Conference in 2007 (WRC-07) with a
modification
◦ Ceding the upper UHF Television Broadcasting
Channels 790 – 862 MHz for Mobile Broadband
use, after the Digital Switchover.
VHF
174 –
230MHZ
UHF
470 - 694MHZ
694 –
790MHZ
DD2
790 –
862MHZ
DD1
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DVB-T : Digital Video Broadcasting – 1st Gen.

DVB-T2 : Digital Video Broadcasting – 2nd Gen.
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ATSC : Advanced Television Systems Committee

ISDB-T : Integrated Television Systems Committee

DMB-T/H : Digital Multimedia BroadcastingTerrestrial/ Home
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MPEG-2
MPEG-4
National Task Force on DTT in place since 2010.
 Responsible for policy recommendations to
government on broadcasting
 Drafting new licensing regime
 Pre and post implementation of DTT in
Zambia
 Formulating
national
migration
and
communication strategy
18
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Government on 28th May 2012 approved and
adopted DVB-T2 and MPEG-4 as national
standards for DTT as per SADC
recommendations
 Broadcast Frequency replanning, coordinated with
neighbouring countries for border towns :

ZICTA has addressed this concern by harmonizing
and coordinating DTT frequencies in the border lines with
all our neighbouring countries
 Policy and Regulatory issues
 What Standard to use : DVB-T2 already domisticated
 Draft policy in place
 Licensing options
 Network infrastructure development
 Signal Distribution and New Transmitters
 Consumer issues
 Content Development
 Skills empowerment
 E-Waste disposal
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Market Driven And Policy Driven
◦ Market
◦ Policy Driven
DIGITAL SWITCH–ON
SIMULCAST PERIOD
ANALOGUE SWITCH-OFF: NATIONWIDE, PHASED OR PARTIAL
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Combined licensing
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Status quo: owning of studios & transmitters
Inefficient utilisation of frequency spectrum
Results in costly migration
Costly to consumers: many antennas, STBs
Separate Licensing
◦ Optimisation of resources and cheaper migration
cost
◦ Promotes competition for uniform coverage
◦ Third party SLAs required
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Digital Broadcasting involves the delivery of
variable number of bit ( 0s and 1s) streams
representing sound and television signals
The streams are combined into a single
digital stream for transmission on a particular
frequency channel
The process of combining digital streams into
1 channel is called multiplexing
The Multiplex Operator is the entity that
compiles, manages and forwards the content
to intended destination
Sports
Prime TV
Religious
Muvi
ZNBC
TV2/Gotv?
Multiplexed
Signal
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one frequency for one channel, Digital Terrestrial
Television (DTT) can use one frequency to carry
multiple channels thereby allowing for transmission
of many television programmes using less
frequencies.
In each location in Zambia, one transmitter is
capable of carrying all existing seven analogue
(ZNBC, ZNBC TV2, MUVI, MOBI, TBN, CBC and Africa
Unite) channels simultaneously.
no need for all broadcasters to have their own
transmitters, multiplexers and networks.
All licensed analogue television broadcasting
station expected to be issued with Digital Content
Broadcasting Licenses.
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2- Tier : Multiplexing & Signal Distribution by
one entity, Content provider separate
3- Tier : Multiplexer , Signal Distributor and
Content provider separate.
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ANALOGUE ERA :
◦ Broadcasters are responsible for generating their
content as well as the transmission of the content
to the viewers.
DIGITAL ERA : SIGNAL DISTRIBUTOR OR CARRIER
 OPTIMAL
 LOWER
USE OF INFRASTRUCTURE
SET UP AND TRANSMISSION COSTS
 REDUCED
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND LESS SIGNAL
INTERFERENCE.

NEW DIGITAL TRANSMITTERS WILL BE REQUIRED
 A RELOCATION
REQUIRED
OF EXISTING TOWERS
& MASTS WILL BE
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Government’s
objective
on
DTT
countrywide coverage at least 84 sites
is
◦ Signal Distributor: how many?
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Government owned or privately owned SD
1 Govt + 1 or more Private
UK : ARQUIVA as single signal distributor
SA: Sentech
Ghana PPP model (50%:50%)
Kenya : Signet ( 99% owned by KBC, 1 % Government)
Tanzania : 3 Distributors
 Star media, which is co-owned by the Public
broadcaster, Basic Transmission Limited and
Agape Associates Limited.
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Optimisation of resources and cheaper migration cost
to digital platform because of infrastructure sharing.
Most prudent approach for successful migration.
Environmentally friendly as fewer transmitter stations
will be put up as a result of infrastructure sharing.
Encourages more broadcasters/content generators to
come on board due to low set up cost resulting in
high viewer choice and competitiveness.
Promotes economies of scale, hence promoting low
cost to viewers.
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Viewers do not need to buy multiple antennas,
cheaper cost to consumer
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Guarantees efficient utilisation of frequency spectrum.
Promotes competition of broadcasting services based
on content and not coverage because the multiplex
operator will provide same coverage to all.
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Provide uniform coverage for licensed broadcasters
within the defined areas of operation

Optic-fibre cable:
 ZAMTEL
 ZESCO
 LIQUID TELECOM
Microwave Link
 Satellite
 WiMax
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At centre for success is STB
The vulnerable might not manage the costs
Option is to ensure basic STBs are available
Interoperability of STBs
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Consideration for waivers at importation
Consideration for subsidy on STB
◦ Direct Subsidy to consumer virtually unrealistic in
most African countries because of effective
monitoring and resource limitations
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Opportunity for job creation through
manufacturing of STB
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What Digital Migration entails
What benefits to be derived
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More Choice
More Service (Added services)
Quality of Services
Accessibility Of services
Enjoy Digital Broadcasting
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Issues of Antenna positions
Use of UHF Antennas as opposed to VHF
Need to know the time frame of roll out
Information on need to procure STB
Where to find the STBs
What features to look out for
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All consumers
Government
Regulators
Broadcasters
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Digital
Migration will modify the viewing
landscape by availing viewers access to a broad
spectrum of content.
With the broad spectrum of content, electronic
programming guide (EPG) is needed in order to
navigate through the many channels.
In preserving cultural values, local content will be
crucial to run on the many channels.
Existing scenario is that foreign to local content
ratio favours the former.
Where to get content is therefore crucial
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Challenge for content creation is real
Our local artists’ cash flow will improve:
Hologram
Local artists will be able to employ more staff
for more content
Should have positive contribution to economy
40
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Employment creation is real
Nollywood : vibrant, chaotic, and an
informal film industry in Nigeria
Produces 30 new titles/week @
$2/DVD
Valued at $3.2Billion/yr
Produces 2400 films annually
Educor Africa to open multi-media
and creative arts centre to support
Nollywood
MultiChoice spending US $300m to
produce local content within Nigeria
41
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Basic and tertiary education to incorporate in the
curriculum audiovisual production courses
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Reinforce intellectual property rights
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Rule of thumb, nearly all music that reaches
broadcaster’s
playlist
manages
to
recoup
production costs
Consideration of tax waiver or tax holiday for
importation of equipment for content generation
e.g musical, video production equipment
Establishment of funding mechanism to promote
content production
◦ broadcasters to cover traditional ceremonies
other cultural events
and
◦ broadcasters to produce programmes that promote
tourism , sports, culture , youth , education etc
◦ the conversion of archived analogue material into
digital
◦ Broadcast of Parliamentary sessions
◦ Broadcast of agricultural information
◦ Musical programmes promoting local artists
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As a way to accelerate local content,
broadcasters expected to comply to ratios
e.g. 75% Local to 25% Foreign.
Broadcasters expected to provide statistical
information in fulfilling quotas
Any international producer expected to coproduce and partner with the local Zambian
producers
o
Review of the broadcast licensing framework
to allow infrastructure sharing and the
issuance
of
separate
licenses
for
Broadcaster/Content
Provider,
and
Multiplex/Signal Distributor.
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Considering that in DTT one frequency can carry
multiple television channels and that all current
existing analogue channels can be carried by a single
multiplexer, it is recommended to migrate using one
signal distributor.
Based on existing infrastructure and current
requirements for digital migration it is recommended
that one national license be issued to the Public
Service Multiplex/Signal Distributor.
Other
licenses
beyond
the
Public
Service
Multiplex/Signal Distributor should be given on a
transparent and competitive basis after successful
migration.
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Transmission Cost imposed by Signal
Distributor ( Multiplex Operators)
Lack of enough Local and Premium Content
under Terrestrial Digital Platform.
Dual Illumination Cost:
◦ Content needed for digital and analogue platforms
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Engineering Staff require knowledge upgrade
◦ Computer literacy will be crucial
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Producers require more ingenuity and
creativity based on knowledge gained.
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decommissioned transmitters
CRT Monitors , have toxic substance that
require taking account of environment
Dumping ground for the unsuspecting
consumers