South Africa confirms plans for DTT rollout

Rollout of DTT will begin in South Africa by 2008, two years before the country hosts the next World Cup tournament.

Publicly-owned transmission company Sentech will invest 1 billion Rand (£76 million) in upgrading the existing broadcasting system for digital signals.

Acting COO Frans Lindeque confirmed that rollout of DTT would begin in metropolitan areas by 2008, adding that carriage of 12 HDTV channels would be possible by 2010.

"The primary benefit of DTT will be clearer, sharper pictures without the interference and ghosting that some residents of built-up areas or hilly terrain sometimes experience," Lindeque is quoted by ITWeb. "DTT also offers a widescreen format and multiple language offerings per channel."

DTT set-top boxes are expected to retail at around 500 Rand (£38).