Legislators have asked Government to make set top boxes, commonly known as decoders, affordable because it is a constitutional right for every Ugandans to access timely information. This follows government implementation of a phased analogue to digital switch off on June 15, starting with Kampala and areas within a 60-kilometre radius of the capital where thousands of people were left with blank screens.

The lawmakers have been debating a statement made by the State Minister for ICT Nyombi Thembo regarding the progress of transforming from analogue to digital migration broadcast. Nyombi informed the house that due to budgetary pressures Government has not been able put in place physical measures to ensure the availability of affordable set top boxes as envisaged.

But the lawmakers such as Kawempe North MP Latiff Sebagala, Lubaga North MP Moses Kasibante, Bukomansibi woman MP Suzan Namaganda Kiwalabye Waira Magyegere, Bunya East, Olivia Kwagala, Iganga woman MP, and Medard Bitekyerezo Mbarara municipality, among others say they are not opposed to technology but Government should ensure that the decoders are available and affordable for all Ugandans. Some Members of Parliament were bitter that some areas were switched off without being informed because their areas were not advertised as part of the areas to be switched off.

The Member of Parliament for Lubaga North Moses Kasibante said that government should be blamed for delaying to inform Ugandans on the issue of digital migration since it signed this agreement many years ago. The woman MP for Bukomansimbi Suzan Namaganda said it will be difficult for people to afford pay TVs with subscription. Latiff Sebagala said that digital migration needed more time.

Uganda will progressively switch off analogue transmission, completing its migration on August 31.

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The firms include Brivid Uganda Ltd, Widestar Digital (U) Ltd, Mac Viva Global Holdings Ltd, BIT Technologies (U) Ltd, Future Electronics (U) Ltd, Icomsys Africa Ltd, eWorld Technologies Limited.

Others are;

• Kagadi Technical Services
• Visual Consult Uganda Ltd
• Roise de Classe (U) Ltd
• Trans-African Container
• Space Digital Technology Ltd
• Green PowerSolutions
• URI Trading Company.

According to UCC Media Relations Specialist, Isaac Kalembe, the Commission provided space to these operators at Communications House (Ground Floor) to sell their Set Top Boxes (STB) but only three companies – Brevid, Mac Viva and e-World have taken up the offer.

Having a Free to Air set top box means that there are no monthly subscriptions, there is only one time pay at time of purchase of the set top box and one can receive all the Free to Air channels; the channels being watched now on analogue TV before the digital migration.

The process of switching off the analogue signal in Uganda is expected to be complete by June 10th 2015. After that, all TV viewers in Uganda will need to have a set-top-box (STB) for every analogue TV or use a digital TV in order to receive television services.

UCC STB Vendors List – May 13, 2015

The post Digital Migration: UCC approves 15 firms to sale Free-to-Air Set Top Boxes first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The world’s switch off deadline will be in 2015 with countries having to transfer from analog broadcasting to digital technology though East African member states agreed to December 31st 2012.

The state minister for information and communication technology Nyombi Tembo says the proposal is aimed at making the top set boxes affordable for every citizen.

He was speaking today at the common market for Eastern and southern African meeting on digital migration in Kampala.

Tembo says the proposal is still being debated by all stakeholders although he expressed hope that it will go through so that the top set boxes can cost at most 50,000 shillings. These will be needed for anyone to capture TV signals and have more channels.

Ultimate Media

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The committee chairperson Banarbas Tinkasimire said the minister along with her team were not prepared and therefore the committee could not waste time to listen to the minister who had no answers to their questions.

Karoro told the committee that she was not in position to answer the questions  raised by the MPs  and needed more time to  prepare a brief to the committee over the issues and later return on Tuesday.

She said MPs’ questions are broad and therefore she needs to first research and get answers.

The MPs want the minister to explain the land wrangles surrounding UBC and its competence to manage digital migration.

By Isaac Senabulya

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