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Dar to Complete Migration to Digital TV Next Year(AllAfrica Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) TANZANIA expects to complete migration from analogue to digital TV broadcasting before June 2015 deadline making the country among the first in Africa to comply with the global plan. The Minister for Communication, Science and Technology, Prof. Makame Mbarawa, informed the ITU 2014 Plenipotentiary Conference on Tuesday that by June 2014, digital broadcasting covered 70 per cent of the country. "We are expecting to cover the whole country well before the set deadline," he told over 3,000 delegates to the ITU 2014 Plenipotentiary Conference. The migration to Digital TV broadcasting is a government initiative resulting from the decision made at the Regional Radio Conference of 2006 in Geneva, Switzerland (RRC-06). The decision requires countries in the RRC planning area to migrate from analogue to digital terrestrial TV broadcasting technologies by 17th June 2015. Prof. Mbarawa said for the national and regional connectivity, Tanzania has recorded significant progress. He said the government had invested in the deployment of 7560 km of Broadband Fibre optic cable, currently connecting all regions in the country. "The broadband optic fibre cable network also connects land-locked countries through multiple connections to the border points of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Zambia, and Malawi. In addition, Seychelles is also connected by fibre optic underwater cable from Tanzania," he said. He said Tanzania ICT policy, legal and converged licensing framework to guide the sector has paid great dividends. He further said that Tanzania tele density (telecommunication penetration) stands at 64 per cent. "The number of subscriptions for mobile phone users have increased from 21.2 million in 2010 to the present figure of over 28.3 million. Internet users have increased from 5.1 million in 2010 to over 9.6 million today. Currently, 57 per cent of the population above 16 years of age have access to financial services compared to just 27 per cent in the year 2009, thanks to mobile phone money services," he explained. The minister further said that, because of the experience Tanzania has in spearheading the development of ICT in Tanzania, it has been consistent to ITU goals and targets for developing countries. "We are asking for support for Membership in the General Council of the ITU". In this regard, I now wish to inform this Conference that Tanzania has put her candidature for the seat of the ITU Council representing Region D. Tanzania is capable of delivering and are counting on all ITU members to vote for Tanzania. "We are determined to share our experience and support ITU family and deliver to the ITU Vision and Mission," he said. Tanzania is among 17 countries from ITU Region D contesting for 13 seats in the ICT council during an election to take place from tomorrow to Monday next week. Tanzania has been active in various ITU initiatives from its resolutions and decisions since joining the organization. The country has adopted pro-ICT policies with supportive legislation to build an ICT-driven nation. Tanzania presented three issues that would wish the Conference to address in the Plenipotentiary conference: support to development of human and institutional capacity; collaboration in fighting cybercrime and regulatory frameworks for achieving multilateral connectivity and universal access. ITU's Plenipotentiary is the world's largest meeting of international policy makers from the information and communication (ICT) sector. Copyright Tanzania Daily News. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). |