DO THEY KNOW IT'S DIGI TIME?

January 15 was set as deadline by the Federal Government for switchover from the analogue format of broadcasting to the digital platform. The International Telecommunications Union, ITU, will enforce the switchover from June 17.

The implication is that except you have a set top box (decoder), your TV is useless. The advantage, they say, is clearer audio and video. In analogue format, radio and Tv signals clash. Statics also disturb. These have made the need for buffers necessary. If Wazobia FM, for instance, is 95.1FM, we cannot have 95.2 or point three. Buffer ‘zones’ are needed between assigned frequencies.

Therefore, Digital Terrestrial Transmission, DTT, technology came up as a way of making broadcast signals transmission and reception more efficient and precise. Furthermore, as more frequencies are created, some can be freed for other uses, especially for broadband and related services.

In fact, government had set up a team to oversee the nation’s transition from analogue to digital broadcasting. Last December, Chairman of the committee, also called Digi Team, Engineer Edward Amana, said on an NTA programme monitored in Lagos that challenges notwithstanding, the nation must implement the digital switchover.

We have to have faith that the popular “Nigerian Factor” will not ensure the equipment rejected in other climes find their way to Nigeria, thereby making nonsense of what should bring joy.

However, that the January 15 deadline is a mirage, is no news. The day came and went with so many Nigerians not even in the know of the issue. So, when, from June 17, analogue signals are switched off worldwide, will millions of Nigerians know why their TV sets went blank?

OBOH's Lens went to town.