Digital upgrade to boost IT jobs and skills - 01/02/2007
Upgrading the national broadcasting infrastructure from analogue to digital at a likely cost of R2bn is an opportunity to create more hi-tech jobs, boost IT skills and invigorate local television and radio production studios, government believes. Business Day reports that although the International Telecommunications Union cites June 2015 as the final date for axing analogue, SA faces a far more urgent deadline after pledging to broadcast the 2010 World Cup in digital technology.
SA could require up to four times more bandwidth than it currently has access to in order to successfully host the World Cup in three years. ITWeb reports that World Wide Worx MD Arthur Goldstuck estimates SA’s bandwidth needs at least two terabits a second by the time 2010 rolls around, or four times current capacity, in order to meet the demands of the World Cup and internal growth. ’There is a huge appetite for high-speed connectivity in business and among consumers,’ he said.
Gov to assist consumers with digital TV upgrade - 31/01/2007
Consumers may soon be able to upgrade their television viewing with financial help from the state as the Communications Department debates whether to subsidise the purchase of set-top boxes. Business Day reports that the boxes are essential to unscramble the signals of digital television, which is being phased in to replace the current analogue system. The International Telecommunications Union has set June 2015 as the final date for replacing analogue with digital but SA must be ready far sooner in terms of a pledge to broadcast the 2010 World Cup using digital technology.
Premiership offers free live TV deal to Africa - 22/1/2007
The chief executive of the Premier League, Richard Scudamore, said that Africa was being given the right to televise live games free, following lobbying from Chancellor Gordon Brown. The Guardian reports that the move will allow 390 million people to watch live games, but will be limited to matches on Saturday and Monday evenings. Scudamore said the Premiership had done well enough out of selling TV rights to live matches to help some of the world’s poorest countries. Brown has been pressing for the deal since visiting Africa in 2005, believing that it will help prevent the growth of anti-western sentiment, especially in Muslim countries.
Digital mapping to be widely used by 2010 - 17/01/2007
MapIT MD Ray Wilkinson expects 200 000 navigation devices will be sold in SA this year, up from 90 000 last year – most with digital maps provided by his Pretoria-based company. ITWeb reports that the first smartphones with built-in GPS will hit the market this year and Wilkinson expects such devices, loaded with appropriate mapping software, will be widely used by visitors during the 2010 World Cup. ’The key is to give visitors the ability to plan (their movements) ahead of time,’ he says.
Digital mapping to be widely used by 2010 - 17/01/2007
MapIT MD Ray Wilkinson expects 200 000 navigation devices will be sold in SA this year, up from 90 000 last year – most with digital maps provided by his Pretoria-based company. ITWeb reports that the first smartphones with built-in GPS will hit the market this year and Wilkinson expects such devices, loaded with appropriate mapping software, will be widely used by visitors during the 2010 World Cup. ’The key is to give visitors the ability to plan (their movements) ahead of time,’ he says.
Details on what role SA’s latest broadband entrant will fulfil will only be made known after Parliament has reconvened next month. In addition, the Department of Communications (DOC) has revealed it has yet to finalise a five-year broadband strategy for the country. The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) originally intended to hold a public briefing at the end of November to clarify details around Infraco. This has since been postponed to this month. ITWeb reports that the DPE now says it can only make an announcement highlighting all the relevant details after briefing a Parliamentary committee. Public enterprises minister Alec Erwin indicated last year the department would reveal how Infraco would fit in with other projects such as the Eassy cable, the Square Kilometre Array and SA’s preparations for the 2010 World Cup.
Come the 2010 World Cup, there are going to be a myriad of mobile devices able to do a host of things never thought possible. MyBroadband reports that the devices will have more processing power, more storage space and be able to connect to multiple types of networks to perform different tasks. Given how quickly storage is advancing, mobile devices of 2010 may well have hundreds of gigabytes (GB) in storage space, either on board or with a combination of onboard memory and plug in cards.
Cape Town residents can expect improved service delivery and cheaper access to Internet and telephone services by 2010 because the city plans to spend R400m on its own broadband network. By so doing, it will avoid huge costs to monopoly telecommunications provider Telkom. It will also be able to earn money off its own network by offering these services to the private sector. The Cape Times reports that the city would be able to connect more than 220 public facilities including libraries, clinics and administrative buildings. Its benefits for the 2010 soccer World Cup would also be extensive.
While Telkom has already welcomed the introduction of Infraco into the local telecommunications arena, Neotel does not view it as a threat, and Sentech is undecided as to where the new government entity will fit into the landscape. ITWeb reports that Neotel MD Ajay Pandey says Infraco, as an entity, does not yet exist, despite it being granted funding of R647m by the National Treasury. This, he says, is insufficient funding to take care of the new company’s infrastructure environment. Portfolio manager of PR Dr Pranill Ramchander says that one thing is for sure, South Africans will benefit from cheaper and better broadband access in the foreseeable future, especially in view of preparation for the World Cup in 2010.
Communication Minister Ivy Matsepe-Cassaburri has reiterated that the success of the 2010 World Cup will depend on the SA Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry. ’Without this sector, the 2010 World Cup cannot happen,’ Matsepe-Casaburri said. BuaNews Online reports that among the Fifa requirements, the country needs to ensure the establishment of the International Broadcasting Centre (IBC), a reliable broadcasting infrastructure back-up for the IBC and media centers at all stadia with necessary ICT infrastructure to flight games to the world.
Boring as it may seem to the average consumer, there are many exciting developments the telecommunications sector ahead of the 2010 World Cup. In a FIN24 column, Johan Brink says the time has arrived for companies like Telkom, Neotel, Vodacom and MTN to embrace the World Cup as the perfect opportunity to do the necessary upgrades. ’It would be fair to assume, even with the sluggish pace of current development, that South Africa would be al least up to current international standard by 2010. The road to 2010 for SA telecommunication companies is still long, and I sincerely hope our offerings, especially in the fixed line arena, is going to improve dramatically.’
The City of Johannesburg will conduct an ICT risk management security audit to determine how ready it is to deliver on its contractual obligations to Fifa and the 2010 World Cup LOC. ITWeb reports that aspects that will be verified include the physical protection of the city’s ICT infrastructure; network, server, data and application security; as well as disaster recovery.
For years now, South Africans could only envy television viewers in other countries, especially those with the latest and greatest that television technology has to offer, pay-per-view or even High Definition Television (HDTV). With the World Cup less than 1 217 days away, South African media companies need to show what they can actually do. There is nothing better than a deadline to make someone perform. FIN24 reports that companies like Sentech, Telkom Media, MTN, Vodacom and MultiChoice are spending millions to be ready by 2010.
SA’s bandwidth constraints would have been fully dealt with by 2009, a year ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, Telkom’s chief technical officer, Thami Msimango, promised. Engineering News Online reports that Msimango, who was responsible for all matters World Cup within Telkom, said that the utility was well aware of Fifa’s bandwidth demands, and had partly realigned the roll-out of its R11.5bn next-generation network to ensure those demands were met.
Minister highlights tech achievements - 15/11/2006
Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri has highlighted SA’s achievements in preparation for the World Cup, in the field of broadcast technology. Addressing the International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference in Turkey, Matsepe-Casaburri said the success of the event relies significantly on telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructure, and therefore the importance of the ITU. ’In this regard, and in line with the developments in the ITU Radio-communications sector, our country has started implementing its migration from analogue to digital Television broadcasting.’
SABC unveils high definition broadcast unit for 2010 - 14/11/2006
The SABC is gearing up for the 2010 World Cup. SABC News reports that the national broadcaster unveiled a high definition outside broadcast unit, which features the latest in broadcast technology. It is the first of its kind on the continent. The SABC is the official rights holding broadcaster for the 2010 World Cup and this comes with a huge responsibility. The public broadcaster has promised in the 2010 bid book that its broadcasts of soccer matches would be of the highest quality. With the acquisition of the first R50m high definition outside broadcast unit, the SABC will be able to live up to this promise.
MTN SA has signaled its intention to lead the market in the Mobile TV arena, as SA’s preparation for the 2010 World Cup gathers momentum. Mobile Africa reports that MTN is a global sponsor of the 2010 World Cup. As such, MTN has exclusive mobile content rights for Africa and the Middle East and is the global mobile service provider for the soccer showpiece. MTN SA has launched the country’s first commercially available 3G / DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting – Handheld) capable cellular handset. The Samsung P910 cellphone is designed for mobile television with its swiveling LCD 262144 TFT Colour QVGA screen and double adjusting hinge that rotates into landscape mode for a pleasant television viewing experience.
RS Plc, Thailand’s second-largest entertainment group, is looking forward to financial success from a new venture that holds the broadcast rights to the next two World Cup football tournaments. The Bangkok Post reports that the company has forged a joint venture with Vorawoot Rojanaparnich, a former managing director of DhosPaak Communication Agency Co, which held the rights to the 2002 and 2006 tournaments. The new company, RS International Broadcasting and Sport Management Co (RSBS), signals RS’s intention to continue diversifying as a content provider, as making money from its core music business has become more challenging.
LG rapidly advances into African market - 09/11/2006
LG Electronics is fast advancing into the African market with successful efforts to localise its products and marketing operations. The Korea Herald reports that despite the company’s relatively late entry compared to global rivals, LG Electronics has substantially expanded its foothold by promoting high-end products and building close ties with local consumers and resellers. LG Electronics officials believe the world’s biggest football tournament will fuel its rapid growth in local popularity. The company is also attempting to extend its presence in SA’s high-end market through its premium lineups.
Mediatech expo to focus on global technological innovations - 07/11/2006
As SA prepares for various big events in the near future, mediatech africa 2007 is building momentum for an innovative and well-timed event in 2007. BizCommunity.com reports that the biennial all-inclusive broadcast, media, entertainment and AV exhibition will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, June 12 to 14 2007. Organised by Thebe Exhibitions, mediatech africa 2007 will showcase cutting-edge technologies and services from industry leaders in television and broadcast, sound and audio, lighting and staging, animation, communication, and every related field. The combination of technology, demonstrations, networking opportunities and special events attracts top quality visitors from all parts of the media, entertainment, broadcast and communication industries.
The East African Submarine Cable System (Eassy) is essential to ensuring enough bandwidth is available for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, said Sentech acting COO Frans Lindeque. ITWeb reports that the SABC also outlined their plans for when this country hosts the world’s biggest sporting event. Lindeque said Sentech would need to double its satellite infrastructure, which means replicating its teleport, situated in Honeydew, north of Johannesburg, in order to meet the redundancy requirements of the 2010 World Cup.
SABC to spend R1.3bn on technology for 2010 - 01/11/2006
MPs were told that the SABC had a technology plan that was being implemented, with an eye being kept on the 2010 World Cup. According to Business Repor, Dali Mpofu, the group CE, told the portfolio communications committee the total spend on technology would be R1.3bn. At least R400m had been secured from the government and a long-term commitment of R700m had been made. MPs heard that in preparation for the World Cup, a special outside broadcast van, equipped for high-definition television broadcasting, was delivered to the corporation. It cost R50m and the SABC would need nine vans.
M-Net upgrades equipment ahead of 2010 - 31/10/2006
M-Net says that it is putting in Avid ISIS technology for its Supersport production facilities. The deployment is expected to be completed by early December, and to go on air after staff training is completed. ICT World reports that Spescom Media IT is providing the equipment, installation and training for this extensive project, which will initially handle the Supersport channel’s production, and then be extended to cover storage and post-production for other M-Net and Multichoice channels. ’The new technology will be ready for use with high-definition TV (HDTV) transmissions which will be introduced to meet international standards for the 2010 World Cup soccer event in SA,’ said Sean du Toit, GM of Spescom Media IT.
Johnnic to buy out M-Net holding? - 30/10/2006
JSE-listed Johnnic Communications’ announcement that it has received an offer to buy out its holding in M-Net, a joint venture between it and Naspers, has led to market speculation that Naspers is seeking to own all of M-Net. ITWeb reports that M-Net has several convergence initiatives under way as SA builds up towards the 2010 Soccer World Cup. While Johncom is tight-lipped about whom the mystery bidder is, an analyst suggests it would make sense for Naspers to buy out the shares it does not already own in M-Net and SuperSport, a view not everyone agrees with. While no reference to the size of Johncom ’s stake in M-Net could be determined from its latest annual report, the MultiChoice SA (MCSA) black economic empowerment deal prospectus indicates Naspers has a total direct and indirect shareholding of 60.12% before the implementation of the deal.
Switch to digital broadcast set to be costly - 19/10/2006
The switch from analog to digital broadcast technology will lead to the emptying of everyone’s pockets. A two-day Digital Migration Working Group is meeting in Tshwane to look at these economic concerns. SABC News reports that viewers are currently watching television by means of analog technology. It has been the standard broadcast technology since TV started, but that is all set to change. The International Telecommunications Union last year set the deadline for 17 June 2015 when digital technology will then be used. It will give dramatically better pictures and sound, as well as increased flexibility and efficiency. But the transition could be at a tremendous cost. For the SABC, the change to digital technology is even more urgent than the 2015 deadline. The broadcaster must be ready to broadcast the 2010 Soccer World Cup using digital technology.
Allied Electronics Corporation (Altron) expects to benefit from liberalisation in the telecommunications industry, a surge in GSM uptake on the continent and SA’s preparations for hosting the 2010 Soccer World Cup. ITWeb reports that CE Robbie Venter says Altech, majority owned by the group, should see new business opportunities through its subsidiary Autopage as the SA industry becomes more deregulated. Autopage, which has 10 000 broadband subscribers and a customer base of over 700 000 mobile subscribers in total, sells-on services from Cell C, Vodacom and MTN. While it’s still too early to make concrete statements about the company’s possible future endeavours, Venter says a move towards data should continue. By 2010, the data volume is expected to exceed the voice volume.
The Eastern Africa Submarine System (EASSy) fibreoptic cable that will boost telecommunications activity in the region, has come a step closer to completion. Mining Weekly reports that this week, two more countries added signatures to the protocol. Zimbabwe’s Minister for Transport and Communications, Christopher Mushowe, and Botswana’s Minister for Communications, Science and Technology Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi added their two countries to a list of seven - including SA - that had signed at an earlier ceremony. SA’s Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri expressed enthusiasm for a timely completion of the project, saying that clarity on communications infrastructure was necessary as architects and engineers went ahead with designing and building stadiums for the 2010 soccer World Cup.
MTN to roll out cellphone TV services - 17/10/2006
Africa’s biggest cellphone network provider, MTN, was waiting for its partner, MultiChoice, to receive a pay-TV licence before it could aggressively roll out cellular TV services, it said at the launch of its new digital video broadcasting (DVB-H) cellphone. According to Business Report, MTN is the global cellphone content sponsor of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, giving it exclusive rights to show the event on cellphones in Africa and the Middle East. It will invest $65m in the event. Until the licence has been finalised, MTN customers will have access to 11 TV channels through the DVB-H service for free.
SA municipalities to offer cheaper wireless services - 13/10/2006
Forget about Neotel, Telkom’s nationwide rival. The next 18 months will see SA municipalities providing perhaps a more formidable challenge to Telkom by offering cheaper, wireless and, crucially, local telecom services. And it is the Cape tourism mecca of Knysna that is leading its larger urban rivals in the race to provide wireless telecoms and Internet facilities to residents and visitors. MyADSL.co.za reports that Knysna’s director of finance, Grant Easton, even speaks of residents watching the 2010 soccer World Cup over their cellphones using the town’s network. Knysna is creating a Wi-Fi network that provides free Internet access to residents. The service will not be free for long but Knysna plans to charge only after the first 45 minutes’ usage. SA’s larger cities are starting to catch up. Cape Town is planning to offer a free telephony service for local calls before the end of 2008. Durban is thinking about offering a similar service to its residents and is testing an Internet based voice service.
