Migration from analogue to digital viewing in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to reach 95.5% of TV-watching households by the year 2018, according to a study by Digital TV Research.

The research firm expects that more than 49 million households may migrate to a digital signal over the next five years.

Digital TV research has also added that about 14 million households in sub-Saharan Africa have already switched over to a digital signal in 2012.

Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia are predicted to lead the region’s digital switchover, as Digital TV says these nations could complete this process by the end of 2015.

This is in line with the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) global deadline for all countries to have switched from the analogue to the digital television signal by 2015.

“We have been surprised by the pace of change and progress in the region’s television market in the year since the last edition of this report,” said Simon Murray, author of the research report.

“These are exciting times for sub-Saharan Africa,” he added.

However, two-thirds of sub-Saharan Africa TV-watching households still receive analogue signals, adds the researchers.

And Zingisa Taho, head of regulatory affairs for southern Africa at Multichoice, has raised questions about how quickly and to what extent the continent could switch over to digital television.

“My opinion would obviously not be to dispute what is being projected, but certain things must happen before this is even possible,” she explained to ITWeb Africa.

Taho says that factors such as the affordability of set-top boxes and an array of available content are key regarding the accelerated uptake of digital viewing.