I-Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) ishicilele imithetho emisha ye-Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) ukuze ilungiselele ukuvalwa kwezinhlelo ze-analogue ezweni.
Nakuba usuku lokuvala i-analogue lungakamenyezelwa, i-ICASA iveze ukuthi ifuna ukuba isilungele kusenesikhathi ngokomthetho.
Inhloso yale mithetho ukusungula uhlaka olucacile nolusebenzayo lokusebenza kwe-DTT ngemuva kokuphela kwe-analogue.
Izinto eziyinhloko zale mithetho zihlanganisa:
- Ukwabela amandla kuma-multiplex ngaphakathi kwe-470MHz kuya ku-694MHz, okuhlanganisa ama-multiplex ayisikhombisa.
- Ukuchaza imigomo yokwabiwa kwamandla.
- Izindlela zokufaka izicelo zeziteshi zedijithali.
- Ukulawula ukusebenza kwama-multiplex operators.
- Ukukhethwa kwabasaqalayo ukusabalalisa isignali.
I-multiplex iyisikhala sedijithali esihlanganisa iziteshi eziningi zethelevishini, umsakazo kanye nedatha ngaphakathi kwesiteshi esisodwa.
Imithetho emisha iletha indima entsha ebizwa ngokuthi Multiplex Operator, ozophatha ukwabiwa kwamandla kanye nokwakhiwa kwe-DTT transmission network.
Kuzophinde kusekelwe uhlelo lwe-Single Frequency Networks (SFNs) kanye ne-Multi-Frequency Networks (MFNs) ukuze kuthuthukiswe ukusakazwa.
Amandla kuma-multiplex azokwabiwa phakathi kwezinhlaka ezahlukene:
- Multiplex 1 no-5 – kugcinelwe i-SABC kuphela.
- Multiplex 2 – 80% kubasakazi bezohwebo, 20% kubasakazi bomphakathi.
- Multiplex 3 – iziteshi ezimbili ze-free-to-air (55% no-45%).
- Multiplex 4 – izinsiza zokubhalisa (subscription services).
- Multiplex 6 – abasakazi bomphakathi ngokuphelele.
- Multiplex 7 – izinto ezintsha, ukuhlolwa kanye nobuchwepheshe obusha.
Imithetho iphinde ichaze izibopho zabasakazi, okuhlanganisa ukunikeza Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) kanye nolwazi lwezinhlelo kubabukeli.
Lokhu kuqinisekisa ukuthi ababukeli bathola imininingwane egcwele mayelana nezinhlelo abazibukayo.
Ngemuva kokuvalwa kwe-analogue, abasakazi bazovunyelwa ukuhlinzeka iziteshi eziningi ngesikhathi esisodwa.
Izinhlawulo eziqinile zizosebenza kulabo abangalandeli imithetho:
- Ukwehluleka ukunikeza i-EPG – inhlawulo engafika ku-R500,000 ngosuku.
- Ukusakaza ngaphandle kwemvume – inhlawulo efanayo.
I-ICASA izophinde imemezele ukuphela kwe-dual illumination (i-analogue ne-digital ngesikhathi esisodwa) esikhathini esizayo.
Ngaleso sikhathi, imithetho yakudala efana ne-Digital Migration Regulations 2012 kanye ne-Promotion of Diversity and Competition 2014 izosuswa ngokuphelele.
