July 8, 2015, 11:55 a.m.
Ghana’s Ministry for Communications has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with K-Net Limited, a fully Ghanaian-owned entity, for the roll out of the country’s Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) network project.
The $13 million contract is for the supply and installation of a Digital Video Broadcasting Second Generation (DVB-T2) Terrestrial network within 12 months. It is structured to be executed in nine months and a further three months for resolving all teething challenges.
Dr Edward Omane-Boamah, the Minister for Communications, said following the evaluation of tenders received, K-Net Limited was recommended for the contract to deliver the DTT network project. He said the engagement of K-Net Limited empasized the government’s resolve to develop local content.
“Upon completion of the network roll out, the analogue and the digital transmissions will run concurrently for a period of one year for the uptake of the digital system before complete switch-off of the analogue transmitters," he said.
Dr Omane-Boamah said the payment for the contract sum of 82.3 million dollars would be made from the proceeds of the auction of the spectrum to be released following migration of broadcasters from analogue to digital referred to as “Digital Dividend”.
He explained that the auction of the digital dividend and the use of part of the proceeds in financing the DTT network roll out would eliminate the need for any loans, whether concessionary or commercial, and provided certainty on the implementation programme to the comfort of all stakeholders. The Minister said the digital migration would offer television viewers better picture quality, clear sound, more channels and more choices and interactivity.
He said the sale of spectrum for broadband applications would expand the range of value added services, encourage competition and lead to competitive pricing of products and services and create job opportunities for the distribution, sale, installation and maintenance of set top boxes. Dr Omane-Boamah said the Ministry had prepared a comprehensive public education programme for the migration from analogue to digital television.