GSMA through the Chief Regulatory Officer, Tom Phillips has released a statement regarding confirmation of the schedule for migrating from analogue to digital terrestrial television in Kenya.
The statements indicates that GSMA believes digital switchover signals growth in Kenya. GSMA congratulated the government and Communications Authority of Kenya for finalising the schedule for the country’s much-anticipated digital switchover.
Part of the statement reads: “With all three phases to be completed by 30 March 2015, Kenya’s announcement demonstrates a clear and welcome commitment to meeting the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) global digital migration deadline of 17 June 2015.”
The switchover from analogue to digital television allows more efficient use of a limited resource and frees up precious 700MHz and 800MHz spectrum bands, otherwise known as the Digital Dividend. This lower frequency spectrum delivers excellent geographic coverage and will be a key enabler for the provision of universal mobile broadband access.
Unique mobile subscriber penetration in Kenya is currently 40 per cent, which means that more than half of the country is still unconnected. The availability of Digital Dividend spectrum for mobile will make life-changing mobile services available to all Kenyans, including the three-quarters of the population who live in rural areas, as well as provide substantial economic benefits and new opportunities for digital entrepreneurship.
GSMA also noted that Kenya and Tanzania, which has almost completed its digital switchover, are leading the way in East Africa in bringing the benefits of the digital transition to their citizens.