Driving digital migration with StarTimes Integrated DTV
Globally, it is common phenomenon to adopt workable ideas and embrace tested partnerships to achieve successes. Nigeria is behind Digital Migration date of June, 2015 by two years and government going it alone might take more time and huge resources. Daniel Obi therefore looks at the possibility of partnering StarTimes pay TV in its new technology of Integrated Digital TV to fastrack the ITU initiative.
Involvement of private sector is critical in the success of most government projects. This has been over-emphasised by various stakeholders but unfortunately, government does not really seem to appreciate this fact. This perhaps explains why various government projects are either not completed, abandoned or takes a long time to mature.
Take for instance, there is no space for Private Sector catalysed investments in 2017 Budget that would significantly boost growth rates. The nation is grappling with infrastructure deficit of close to $350 billion but capital budget to Power, Works and Housing Ministry, for example is only $1.7 billion. Analysts expected government partnership with the private sector to bridge the decades of infrastructure gaps.
Digital migration
The same situation appears to be playing out in planned digital migration. For 12 years, Nigeria has been discussing ending analogue broadcasting and adopting digital system in compliance with International Telecommunication Union, ITU agreement in 2006 in Geneva, which Nigeria was a signatory.
Signatories to the International Telecommunications Union had in 2006 agreed to June 17, 2015 as global deadline when countries will switch off analogue for digital broadcasting.
Nigeria has postponed its switch over three times. Now it is scheduled for December 2018.
Why digital broadcasting is important
The switch over to digital becomes necessary because of the congestion in spectrum as this does not allow the accommodation of more channels for broadcast services. The new technology can accommodate over 20 channels where analogue accommodated one. Free spectrum could earn Nigeria good money.
The greatest and biggest incentive in the migration is content as more channels will be available with various content and variety for consumers. Another reason the switch is important is because digital technology allows for a better and more uniform picture quality to be received throughout the coverage area whereas with the analogue technology the picture quality progressively degrades.
Interactive services are also supported by the digital technology, allowing other information to be made available to the viewer, for example, weather forecasts, emergency information, electronic shopping, games, electronic newspapers, including internet access, says experts.
The transition to digital is also dictated by consumers who want better services, more channels and enhanced viewer experience.
Hurdles to migration
Rotimi Salami, Managing Director of Integrated Television Services (ITS), one of the signal distributors licensed for the digital switch over (DSO) in Nigeria, has highlighted funding and adequate infrastructure as very crucial to achieving the new Digital switch over deadline.
Speaking when the House Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values led by its Chairman, Olusegun Odebunmi, went on oversight visit to ITS office in Jos, Plateau state recently, he said for instance NTA needs huge sum of money to replace analogue equipment.
During the visit, the committee members also expressed concerns about how the new deadline would be met with almost all relevant parties to the project having one complaint or the other.
According to Odebunmi: “With the ongoing recession and subsidy paid per set-top box for the 30 million projected beneficiaries, one wonders how N45bn required to put effective infrastructure which will cover the entire country and give good signals would be realized.
In his remarks, the DG, NBC, Mall. Is’haq Modibbo Kawu stated that, “Nigeria has made a commitment to this transition process; it’s a huge logistic process for Nigeria and one that will help us to change forever the face of television broadcasting in our country.”
“Nigeria paid to import the very first sets of 650, 000 boxes. And the total for that was $26 million, and these boxes were subsidized by Government. That is why we are selling them at N1,500. Now, moving forward, the question is: Can Nigeria continue, realistically, given the state of the economy, to subsidize the boxes around the country? It’s a question we are asking ourselves. We all know that, honestly, it would be very difficult”, he said in a report.
“The whole idea of a digital switchover is that we must be able to cover 95% of the country. Imagine about 180million people, watching television. That would be the success. So we need about 30 million boxes for Nigeria if we assume that a television household is a Man, one wife, and four children. It’s a 6-person’s household. So if we look at 30 million boxes, and multiply that by $40 which is the cost for one box in the present ecosystem, maybe we would need the entire budget of Nigeria to achieve 30 million boxes.”
StarTimes’ Digital migration enhancing initiative
Perceiving the enormity of the challenges and cost implications to digital migration, one of which is the required set top boxes which would serve as decoder to TV sets under the migration landscape, StarTimes, a pay-TV operator in Nigeria last year launched Integrated Digital TV to aid Digital migration , particularly helping families across Africa to connect smartly to the digital TV era.
What this means is that the TV sets have in-built decoders and would not require the cumbersomeness of wiring and additional set top boxes. “With the innovation that StarTimes integrated digital TV brings to the fore, Nigerian and African families whether in the rural or urban areas can easily switch to digital TV with much ease without the rigour of procuring analogue TV sets, set-top boxes, wiring and other accessories. The StarTimes Digital TV which offers an integrated solution with one product can thus help a great deal in leap-frogging the nation’s spirited plans to connect many Nigerians with the digital TV and its huge attendant benefits faster” says StarTimes Nigeria Chief Operating Officer, Tunde Aina, during a media chat in Lagos.
Emphasising that StarTimes digital TV is a game changer, Aina emphasized that with interesting features deliberately planned to enhance user experience, the DTV is an exciting offer for Digital migration. He enumerated features such as 50% Lower Energy Consumption than the CRT TV, upgradable operating system, maximum thickness of 70mm and the minimum thickness of 13mm, 2 HDMI ports, full HD LED screen with 5MM Bezel, 1920*1080 resolution rendered at 8ms super-rapid response time and four viewing modes which guarantee vibrant and smooth viewing experience, 8W*2 digital noise filter system, and 75W Voltage consumption, as all enabling users to conveniently enjoy movies, music and other audio and visual resources stored in flash disks, hard disks or other devices via the USB Port or HDMI port.
According to Aina, StarTimes commits itself to providing customers with the most endurable Digital LED TVs and the most splendid viewing experience, integrated with the cutting-edge technologies and exquisite craftsmanship. StarTimes Digital TV will boost viewing pleasure and offer quality boost and support digital migration.
“Let’s change the definition of digital TV, Install and watch! That’s why we say StarTimes Digital TV is Real digital TV,” said Aina. Asides connecting without a decoder, “the annoying experience of two TV remote controls won’t appear in your life anymore. Only one remote control is enough to watch digital TV”.
“StarTimes Digital TV is another core product that StarTimes introduced to help African families to achieve the key and last step of digital migration. “It serves as a perfect option for customers to upgrade their TV sets from analogue to digital.”
Embracing the TV tech
With this innovation, “StarTimes is really assisting to ensure that the African continent and media development progresses to the next level in digital television broadcasting. StarTimes said it is now the key partner to Africa in her effort to migrate from analogue to digital, Aina said noting that Tanzania, Kenya and Burundi have successfully achieved digital migration partnering with StarTimes.
On maintenance, he assured that more than 100 engineers are selectively hired and systematically trained to ensure the highest quality after-sale service.
In the interest of fast digital migration and comfort of Nigerians, it would therefore be intereting for drivers of Digital migration in Nigeria to look at the possibility of partnering StarTimes in its integrated DTV technology to enhance the digital switch over which has taken 12 years to achieve.