State of Broadcasting and Digital Migration in the Region https://zimbabwe.misa.org Digital broadcasting migration status in South Africa South Africa’s digital migration process started way back in 2001 and the government initially announced that it would be completed by 2011. One deadline after the other has been missed while the country remained in desperate need of broadband spectrum which will be freed by the conclusion of the digital broadcasting migration process. Lack of continuity in the Ministry of Communications has been sighted as one of the reasons that stalled progress. Over the last 12 years the Department of Communications has been superintended by 12 ministers. Releasing the high demand spectrum digital dividend 1(698- 790 MHz) and digital dividend 2 (790- 862 MHz) is key ingredient for the country’s growth plans through future investments in mobile broadband. In the absence of digital dividend spectrum mobile operators had to re-farm spectrum and build significantly more towers at great expense to provide high speed broadband services. This consequently increased mobile data prices. Mobile operators have committed to data price cuts when additional spectrum is allocated to them, therefore digital migration is a key component in lowering data prices. The frustration of the industry is exacerbated by lack of coherence on statements issued by the various ministers of communication over the years. 12