Benin digital switchover close to finalised

The implementation of the switch from analogue to digital television has almost been completed in Benin City.

About 80% of the territory has already being covered and most of the sites are now operational, thanks to the use of equipment provided by StarTimes.

The platform can accommodate up to 18 channels and already 14 of the selected 15 that will show on the platform are tested on 150 StarTimes trial decoders.

Although 15 free-to-air channels have been allocated to viewers in the West African country by Satellite operator SES as directed by the Benin government, there is still delay in the creation of the Beninese broadcasting company, the distribution of decoders and the roll-out of the communication campaign regarding the switchover to digital TV.

These FTA channels are said to be the first ever high definition channels to be made available through digital-terrestrial TV across Africa.

The chairman of the DTT steering committee of the presidency of the Republic of Benin, Darius Quenum, said: “The ground-breaking deal with SES was an essential milestone as Benin moves closer to its deadline for the analogue switch-off.”

tagged in: Benin, Darius Quenum, SES