Nigeria's state broadcaster prepares for digital switch

Nigeria's state broadcaster prepares for digital switch
By Henry Ifeanyi
11 Jul 2013

Ahead of a deadline to switch from analogue to digital broadcasting, the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) plans from next month to accept bids from potential signal distributors.

The state broadcaster says it is also going to begin tests to explore the station's readiness to meet the June 2015 deadline set by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

Director general of the NBC, Emeka Mba, has confirmed the development in Lagos.

He said more than 40 million households in the country have to purchase set-top boxes to enable them to watch television when the digital switch kicks in.

And as is the norm globally, the federal government says it plans to subsidise the prices of the equipment as well.

Mba added that the digital switch could allow more room for spectrum expansion to boost the nation’s broadband and internet penetration levels.

The digital broadcasting transition started in 2006 following an agreement by ITU member states.

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