SENTECH SOC LIMITED DTT STATE OF READINESS

SENTECH SOC LIMITED

DTT STATE OF READINESS

PRESENTATION TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON

TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND POSTAL SERVICES:

19 September 2014

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● The South African DTT network has been designed in accordance with ITU guidelines and international best practice, to provide national terrestrial coverage for fixed installations and portable reception.

● The network consist of 182 (178 migrations sites and 4 greenfield sites) terrestrial transmitters sites with a mix of High Power, Medium Power and Low Power solutions utilised to provide terrestrial coverage.

● ICASA has issued regulation for two MUX’s – MUX 1 for SABC and Community Broadcasters and MUX 2 for MNET and e-TV.

● The network will achieve 84% (85.1% with 182 sites) population coverage (178 sites) with the remainder of geographic locations being serviced by the Direct-to-Home satellite (DTH-S) service.

DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL TELEVISIONIntroduction

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DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL TELEVISION Coverage Overview

Number of sites Population Coverage Geographic Coverage

Target 178 84% 58.9%

Completed 154 82.13% 45.43%

Greenfield Sites 4 0.1% 0.33%

DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL TELEVISIONNetwork Rollout Project Plan

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Province Total Sites Completed SitesSites in

ProgressPercentage Completed

Completion Date

Eastern Cape 36 34 2 97% 10/2014

Free State 14 14 0 100% 12/2012

Gauteng 12 12 0 100% 03/2012

Kwazulu Natal 28 28 0 100% 05/2014

Limpopo 12 12 0 100% 07/2013

Mpumalanga 12 11 1 92% 10/2014

Northern Cape 15 5 10 36% 10/2014

North West 15 14 1 94% 10/2014

Western Cape 34 26 8 85% 12/2014

TOTAL 178 156 22 85%

Province Total Sites Completed SitesSites in

ProgressPercentage Completed

Completion Date

Harrismith (FS) 1 0 1 0% Q3 14/15

Burgersfort (LP) 1 0 1 0% Q4 14/15

Ngqeleni (EC) 1 0 1 0% Q3 14/15

Holy Cross (EC) 1 0 1 0% Q4 14/15

● The Head-end was upgraded for DTT. This included a new multiplexing equipment as well as DVB-T2 MI adaption equipment. The system supports Mux 1, Mux 2 and regionalised content.

● After laboratory Proof of Concept, a pilot DTH compatibility system was established for the Gauteng SFN, in order to prove stable operation in a live environment.  The system will enable efficient use of transponder capacity for both DTT and DTH.

● This technology is currently under testing phase with completion planned by the end of the Financial Year, wherein the conventional DTT (DVB-T2 MI) system is fully established and operational. Continued testing is under evaluation with the technology partner.

DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL TELEVISIONHead-end and DTH Compatibility

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1. FUNCTIONAL MODEL

Integrated Network Operations

DTT, DTH, VSAT, FM, Power Supply & Ancillary Equipment

Users: Broadcasters, Viewers & Listeners

Network Support Corrective MTCE Preventative MTCE Network Operations Capacity management

Network Management System Centralized Network Monitoring Network Control Diagnostic intelligence Network systems Inventory

Management Real time monitoring Logistics Management

Service Reporting Converged capabilities Automated Business reports Customer Reports Customer SLA Management Service provider SLA

Management

DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL TELEVISIONOperational Model – Functional Model

DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL TELEVISION Network Management System

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o Central Inventory

Management System-

capability to maintain up-to-

date records of the type,

quantity, configuration and

location of the devices and

equipment in the Sentech

network

o Fault (Alarm) Management

System - detect, isolate and

resolve problems in the

network and correlate and

manage notifications whilst

presenting critical information.

o Performance Management -

Performance data collection

● It is critical and prudent to consider an ASO approach that will have low impact on viewers and Television broadcast services.  

● The outline below details the possible ASO approaches:o  National Approacho Protection of Services Approacho Phased Approacho Hybrid Model of Protection of Services and Phased Approach (Recommended

● It is our intention to implement the full Digital to Digital Migration Plan within 2 years of the Analogue Switch Off

DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL TELEVISION Strategies and DTT to DTT Migration

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DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL TELEVISIONCall Centre – Eco-system and Timescales

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DTPS

DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL TELEVISIONCall Centre – Eco-system and Timescales

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Activity 09/14 10/14 11/14 12/14 01/15 02/15 03/15

Approval to proceed

Funding confirmed

Finalise requirements

Tender and Purchase Process

Delivery Lead Times

Call Centre Launch

DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL TELEVISIONBroadcaster Issues – Commercial and Legal

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BROADCASTER STATUS

SABC An agreement was reached on the DTT rate card. Currently negotiating the Master Transmission Agreement (MTA).

etv The negotiation on the rate card is at a mature stage. There is an agreement on the terms and conditions of Master Transmission Agreement.

MNET Negotiations are ongoing.

Community Broadcasters

In the Analogue environment most Community Broadcaster are broadcasting on one transmitter. As a result of the Frequency Plan the DTT network has multiple transmitters for a Community Broadcaster. This will make the network unaffordable to the Community Broadcasters. Sentech has engaged with the DoC to seek funding for this.

THANK YOU

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