Kenya Getting ready for Going Digital

Last Updated 14 years ago by Kenya Engineer

Kenya is set to import millions of digital broadcasting (DVB) gadgets as the country seeks to migrate from analogue broadcasting before the set deadline this year. The switch to digital broadcasting was allocated Ksh 3 billion but has faced a lot of constrain that has delayed the implementation of the project.

Communications Commission of Kenya had earlier announced that digital transmission was already available in Nairobi and its environs. However, households with analogue TVs can only pick the signal with the help of DVB-T2 set top boxes. It’s targeted that by the end of this year, every household with a TV set must have DVB-T2 set top boxes to be able to view local TV programming.

The DVB-T2 set top boxes are gadgets that are fixed on analogue television sets to enable them receive digital transmissions. Last year, Kenya won approval from its East African Community (EAC) partners to remove taxes on set-top digital TV converter boxes to make set-top boxes affordable.

Kenya was the second in Africa to make the switch to digital broadcasting after South Africa. The switch which is a global initiative is set at a timeline of up to the year 2015.

A Chinese company, Pan Africa Media was awarded the contract to distribute media content in Kenya.

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