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Mozambique announces migration to digital broadcasting

By , ITWeb’s Zambian correspondent.
Zambia , Mozambique , 27 Sep 2021

The Mozambican government says it will join other African countries that have migrated to digital broadcasting by switching off analogue television transmitters.

The National Institute of Communications (INCM) said 15 transmitters located in the capital Maputo and other towns will be switched off and followed by 14 more transmitters in rural areas during the second phase.

The INCM said the disconnections will be carried out in areas where digital signal and decoders are available. The decoders are currently being sold for 1,200 Meticais (about €16).

The country’s migration from analogue to digital broadcasting is being undertaken through a US$156-million fund from China.

According to the INCM the network combines 60 relays spread across the country starting with 18 open channels.

The organisation added that the process of switching over to digital signal will be completed by the end of this year.

The open digital terrestrial television signal was inaugurated by the country’s President Filipe Nyusi in October last year.

He said, “Our goal is to increase territorial coverage to 85% by 2024 and start the migration of sound broadcasting.”

The Chinese embassy in Mozambique said the fast east country has provided 23, 000 sets of satellite television equipment, including television sets, set-top boxes and supporting solar energy systems to the project, via StarTimes.

The Chinese funded digital migration project has already been implemented in many Africa countries including Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda, regions where StarTimes Group has been connecting villages to satellite television.

In Zambia, the project was implemented in 2018 through a collaboration between StarTimes Group and the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC)-via a Topstar joint venture in which Topstar owns 60% in ZNBC and is at the forefront of digital migration. 

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