The Universal Services and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) has delivered Direct to Home (DTH) and Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Set Top Boxes (STBs) to the people of the Northern Cape.

The STB's were handed to their beneficiaries at the Set Top Box roll out Launch that was hosted yesterday, 17 December 2015, by the Minister of Communications, Ms Faith Muthambi in Keimoes, Northern Cape province.

On 4th August 2014, the Board of USAASA and USAF, approved a procurement process of acquiring the services of an independent professional service provider to conduct the tender evaluation on BDM Project.

The Process was undertaken in compliance with government procurement regulation, in line with the National Treasury guidelines.

On the 21st November 2014, the Agency gazetted four tenders for the manufacturing of the DTH and DTT STBs and Antennaes. Ernest and Young was subsequently appoint to evaluate the Bid to ensure that the process was untainted and secure.

On 02nd April 2015 suppliers were appointed and had to comply with two main requirements namely:
1. The STBs had to be manufactured locally; and

2. Comply with the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) certification standards;

USAASA then issued another tender for Installation Services which was issued in 10 April 2015 and subsequently awarded on the 10th September 2015.
Meanwhile, on the 04th August the Agency placed an order of 1,5 million STBs and Antennaes and to-date 2300 have been delivered to the South African Post office warehouses.

The South African Post offices started the with the registration process in the SKA area on the 01 October 2015, leading to today's launch by the Minister.