Statement by the Hon Minister for ICT 4^th June, 2015

Venue: Ministry Conference Room

Statement:

As the nation is aware that the Ministry of ICT is leading the country’s efforts to meet the June 17^th, 2015, Digital Migration deadline, and this date is fast approaching, it is necessary at this point for the Ministry to make the following statement:

1. Government has supported the ministry in all means necessary to enable the country to meet this international deadline. I am therefore pleased to say that the digital broadcast infrastructure is now in place and it covers the whole country. Engineers are now busy with the final tests but the digital signal is already available, almost country wide.

2. Early this year, the Ministry in conjunction with the Swaziland Standards Authority (SWASA) published a standard for Set Top Boxes (STBs) to be used in the country, inviting all who are interested to supply these gadgets to start doing so in an open market environment.

3. Prospective suppliers were and are urged to approach the Swaziland Communications Commission (SCCOM) to apply for certification of their products before selling to the public. The public is also urged to make sure that they buy a certified brand of set-top-box.

4. Seeing that the deadline of June 17 is now upon us and we have not seen many set-top-boxes in the market, after consultations with our neighbouring states who are also in a similar position as us, the ministry has considered and opted to shift the cut-off date to the 31^st of December, 2015, to allow suppliers and consumers the time to have set-top-boxes.

5. On the eastern side of country there will be a short delay in the availability of the digital signal. Our transmitters at Siteki and Lomahasha have had to undergo late changes in transmission frequency due to a request by Mozambique as they have existing services on the frequency channel we are using. Our neighbours requested us to bear with and allow them time as they are behind in the migration program, and so we have had to do some changes which will add some short delay in transmission from these two stations which are nearest to their border.

6. In conclusion, may I once again, urge our viewers to buy the set-top-boxes as soon as they become available. This will give you a better experience of television as you will have a better picture and sound as well as other services. I cannot over-emphasize that December is not very far away, so buy as soon as it comes, of course being mindful that it has to be a certified brand. The ministry will continue with the efforts of educating and alerting the public on all issues to do with digital migration through the media and other avenues.

This is the short statement from the ministry. I thank you.