Digital migration in December, says Macra

There is confusion rocking Malawi’s drive towards migrating from analogue broadcasting system to digital broadcasting which, among others, comes with an advantage of choice on the part of radio listeners and TV viewers.

While the coordinating team in the Ministry of Information is upbeat that the migration of, firstly, television, will be tested next week, other licencees are raising issues.

Digital migration, according to coordinator Denis Chirwa, will mean “much more benefits to the local consumer who wants choice in TV programming.”

Among the benefits, he said, is that TV viewers will now “have a wide range of TV channels to choose from since all TV stations will have their signals in one basket just as people do with DStv.”

“This means every channel will be everywhere in Malawi and the quality of picture and sound will also improve,” he said.

But while these are some benefits to the consumer, Times TV of Blantyre Newspapers Limited has queried the involvement of Macra in the migration process, arguing that this may compromise their regulatory role.

In a letter to Macra director general Charles Nsaliwa, BNL managing director Leonard Chikadya queried delays in registering a signal distributor as earlier assured by government.

“The lack of directors of digital migration at this point implies that stakeholders to digital migration, in this case broadcasters, cannot raise their concerns with the signal distributor. Neither Macra nor Ministry of Information would be in a position to deal with authority on behalf of the signal distributor,” reads the letter dated November 5 2013.

Chikadya added that Macra “as a regulator of the industry should restrict its role to the statutory mandate to avoid compromising the implementation side obligations as well as regulatory aspects.

“This is in the light of rumours that Macra intends to borrow funds for the financing of the digital migration network from Bank of China.”

In a letter dated September 11 2013, Macra sought Treasury’s direction to allow it to borrow K2.8 billion for the relevant equipment.

“Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) would like to seek consent and guidance from the Ministry of Finance on the financing arrangement for the digital migration equipment (1st phase) valued at US$6.7 million supplied by Huawei Technologies. This follows government’s directive that the project be financed by Macra,” wrote Nsaliwa.

But by the time of this letter, Macra had already paid 15 percent of the total sum. Besides, the loan was way beyond the cost of digital migration infrastructure valued at $5.9 million.

But in an interview during the week, Chirwa said the loan was cancelled “because we realised that we can finance the project with locally generated funds.”

In a written response, Macra confirmed that “the borrowing will not be done.”

“The original thinking was that payment would be in bulk but according to the contract agreement, it is in installments and Macra will find resources within the country to make the payment,” said Nsaliwa.

Meanwhile, Macra and the Ministry of Information have assured that “come what may, we will switch to digital this December.”

Nation on Sunday has also seen a letter in which the Ministry of Information is asking broadcasters to provide content signal for the first digital testing this week.

Said Chirwa in the letter to all TV licencees in Lilongwe: “I write to request that you provide programme content signal at Lilongwe microwave head end for testing by the installers of the equipment. The signal should be ready by Monday 18th November, 2013.”

According to Chirwa, “installation of the main head end equipment in Lilongwe is near completion.”

“The sub-head end in Blantyre will be completed by 22nd November 2013,” he said.

According to Macra, “all equipment of Phase 1 digital migration is in the country with batteries and generators arriving in Malawi by Friday.

“It is still feasible that come 31st December, 2013 we will have the digital signal in Malawi.”

If this works out, it will mean Malawi stands way ahead of the Sadc projections of migrating by 2015.