Govt out to cut decoder prices

BabuK · 2012-12-25T21:22:00+00:00

The government has said it is working out mechanism to regulate prices of digital broadcasting decoders in a bid to serve interests of service both providers and consumers. Opening a one-day seminar for employees of Ministry of Communication, Science and Technology yesterday, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Florens Turuka said besides working out of a price reduction mechanism it will also see that broadcast content is in line with the consumers taste. The seminar which focused on the migration to digital broadcasting technology was organised by the ministry and facilitated by the Tanzania Communication and Regulatory Authority (TCRA). There has been big concern by members of the public about price variations of decoders as the country makes a shift to digital technology. Applauding awareness campaigns initiated by the TCRA on the shift from analogy broadcasting to digital broadcasting he said: Currently the prices for decoders are not so high, were sure the prices are affordable by every individual who owns a television set. For his part, TCRA public relations manager Innocent Mungy said about 23 percent of Tanzania will switch to digital broadcasting from analogy by next Tuesday. The manager said the areas to be affected by the shift are only those that receive digital signals. These areas are mostly the countrys towns and cities in seven different regions, he said mentioning Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Dodoma, Tanga, Mbeya, Arusha and Kilimnjaro. However, he said, not all areas in these seven regions will automatically switch to digital broadcasting. About 76 percent of the country has still does not analogy signals due to the geographical terrain including lack of electric power supply and the financial wherewithal to put the infrastructure in place, Mungy said. I am informed that a team of experts are in Morogoro Region where they are trying to link the region with digital signals. When this region is connected, its very likely that 24 percent of the country that is currently connected to analogy would get digital signals, he noted. Earlier in his presentation, Mungy informed the ministry workers that already the government had covered a wide range of areas in the course to shift to digital broadcasting. Some areas already covered include the setting up of regulatory laws and the establishment of digital broadcasting licensing system, he said. Mungy refuted claims that the country is not fully prepared for the shift saying all the necessary procedures have been put in place and well considered. Were only waiting for the Minister for Information, Youth, Sports and Culture to approve the documents submitted by stakeholders so as to regulate the contents of digital broadcasting, he said. Tanzania will from next Tuesday switch-off analogy broadcasting technology in seven regions that has been in use ever since television broadcasting was introduced in the 1960s. It will instead adopt digital broadcasting, the technology that has been adopted by the entire world. TCRA, which is the supervising agent of this shift has already announced that the migration is a must and there is no going back as regards the deadline. SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Thread starter BabuK
Start date Dec 26, 2012

BabuK

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Govt out to cut decoder prices

BabuK

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