Statistics Act, 1999
R 385
Electronic Communications Act, 2005 (Act No. 36 of 2005)RegulationsDigital Migration Regulations, 20123. Framework for digital migration |
| (1) | The date for the commencement of the dual illumination period as well as the date for the final switch-off of the analogue signal will be published by the Minister in the Gazette. |
| (2) | Digital broadcasting must be in accordance with the Second Generation Digital Video Broadcast Transmission (DVB-T2) standard and fourth generation Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG-4) compression standard and future versions of those standards. |
| (3) | There must be progressive dual illumination of the SABC channels, e.tv channel, and M-Net channels during the dual illumination period to achieve the phased digital migration of those channels in the whole of the Republic. |
| (4) | During the dual illumination period, the digital broadcast of terrestrial television broadcasting services may be in Standard Definition Television (SDTV) mode or High Definition Television (HDTV) mode, or both. |
| (5) | Terrestrial television broadcasting service licensees which provide community broadcasting services are not required to provide for dual illumination of those services but must ensure that they have completed digital migration to DTT by the end of the dual illumination period. |
| (6) | Each terrestrial television broadcasting service licensee shall ensure that the analogue broadcast signal of its existing television channel or channels is switched off by the last day of the dual illumination period. |
| (7) | During the dual illumination period, only the existing television channels and authorised digital incentive channels shall be broadcast in Multiplex 1 or Multiplex 2, in accordance with the allocations set out in regulations 4 and 5. |
| (8) | Where any capacity in Multiplex 1 and Multiplex 2 which is allocated in terms of these Regulations to be used by a terrestrial television broadcasting service licensee, is not being utilised for content provision by that licensee on the date 36 months after the commencement of the dual illumination period, the unutilised capacity shall be forfeited. |
| (9) | Where any digital incentive channel in Multiplex 1 and Multiplex 2 which is authorised in terms of these Regulations to be broadcast by a terrestrial television broadcasting service licensee, is not being broadcast by that licensee on the date 18 months after the authorisation of the channel, the capacity related to that channel shall be forfeited. |
| (10) | Terrestrial television broadcasting licensees must exercise their rights in terms of these Regulations in accordance with any requirements imposed in terms of the Astronomy Geographic Advantage Act or regulations or notices published under that Act and for this purpose designated transmitters in the Northern Cape Province must switch off the analogue broadcast signal by 31 December 2015 to facilitate radio astronomy activities in that Province. |
