Johannesburg - Multichoice yesterday launched GOtv, a digital terrestrial television service, as the country prepares for the long-awaited migration from analogue to digital television.
The pay-TV channel company’s launch comes days after Communications Minister Faith Muthambi declared the start of the dual illumination period, which will see both digital and analogue signals being broadcast until most South Africans have decoders.
Analysts said yesterday that the introduction of GOtv would see MultiChoice grab market share and ward off potential competitors while the government rolled out subsidised decoders across the country.
“We are excited to launch our digital terrestrial television service as initiated by the minister of communications.
“This is a major step forward for local television and our launch of GOtv is in line with government’s digital migration process in South Africa,” M-Net chief executive Yolisa Phahle said yesterday.
Planning
MultiChoice said it had been planning for the migration to digital television for a long time.
Analyst Adrian Schofield said that MultiChoice wanted to make use of the available digital spectrum now because it would have competition if the other companies started broadcasting.
“They want to make sure that they get into the market early. But I wonder who their target market will be because people in urban areas have satellite dishes,” Schofield said.
However, he said MultiChoice was in an advantageous position as it already had the infrastructure to manage content.
“It is a low-risk venture for them,” he added.
Another analyst, Richard Hurst, said the under serviced rural population represented an untapped market for GOtv.
“Content, especially sport, will be a key element for service providers looking to lure customers,” Hurst said.
The government started rolling out set-top boxes in the Free State and Northern Cape last year to enable households to switch from analogue to digital broadcast.
Muthambi this week said the analogue switch-off date would be announced after consultation with the cabinet.
The minister said 84 percent of the population would be covered satisfactorily by the digital terrestrial signal and the 16 percent was serviced via the digital satellite signal.
MultiChoice said GOtv, which will offer television channels, radio stations and music channels, would use digital network towers throughout South Africa.
Coverage area
The company said customers would need to be within a coverage area and would need a decoder in order to access the signal.
“While M-Net analogue customers will have to switch to digital at some stage, they do not have to do anything right now, as both analogue and digital signals are currently running concurrently.”
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