01 DTT migration status in Zimbabwe The Zimbabwe DTT migration is overseen by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe and Huawei Technologies as the technical partner. The DTT project started in 2015 and digital TV transmission has not yet commenced even as we approach the second ITU ASO date of june 2020. Funding has been the major drawback to the project completion. Most countries in the region and beyond employed a phased approach to DTT migration with great success. Most countries started deploying DTT in the major cities and major populated settlement areas. Zimbabwe has so far spent USD 40 million on the project yet the whole country is still on analogue transmission. There is no clarity from the project managers on when dual illumination will commence. Emphasis is being put on infrastructure establishment as if the success of DTT migration depends on it when in reality success of DTT migration hinges on the following consumer issues: • • • Set top box (STB) availability and affordability. Exciting content Consumer awareness and buy in. Analogue switch off (ASO) should not occur before a sufficient number of consumers have acquired set top boxes. Those countries that have successfully implemented DDT migration have kept the above at the centre of the DTT migration project. The DTT migration project is supposed to be a standalone project but in Zimbabwe it is intertwined with the revamping of the FM transmission network . The following table shows progress made so far in implementing DTT migration . Table 01 DTT project status in Zimbabwe March 2019 TV coverage area Project status 1. Harare Complete DTT equipment has been installed, ready for transmission. Test running of equipment is on going 2. Head end 3. Signal distribution equipment The equipment to multiplex TV signals from content service providers was installed at Pockets Hill Harare. Ready to provide the subscriber management system and any encryption where required. The satellite uplink facility was also installed at Pockets Hill in 2015. Satellite transponder space was secured from Eutelsat at a fee of USD 1.2 million per annum. This equipment is critical. It distributes the TV services from content providers to the transmitter sites for transmission and reception by the end users. Most of the transmitter sites are not yet linked to the fibre network and satellite distribution remains the most reliable practical means for signal distribution. Equipment already in use in distributing FM signals to all FM transmitting sites . 5