ORINFOR finalizing shift from analogue to digital

Rwanda’s public broadcasting company, ORINFOR, will next week complete the installation of infrastructure aimed at facilitating its shift from analogue to digital broadcasting. This was revealed by the media house’s acting Director General, Willy Rukundo, in an interview with The Sunday Times. The shift from analogue to digital is a strategy which was adopted by Rwanda after a directive of the Geneva-based International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in 2006. It was aimed at among others, improving the quality of broadcasting by media houses. Rwanda is on track to achieve the shift by 2012, an earlier date that was also drawn by the East African Community member states, according to Rukundo. Rwandans will be able to view clearer and better quality broadcasting, from RTV, as well as increasing the number of channels viewable around the country. Rukundo further explained that they have already fixed 12 out of 14 sites, that include transmitter towers and a house to facilitate the shift. The remaining two will be complete in a week’s time. “We completed 12 sites and tested them. With an installed Set Top Box (STB), one can now digital TV from the Jali and Rebero signals in Kigali,” he said. “The remaining two sites at Karisimbi and Gihundwe will be complete by next week.” He further disclosed that they were looking for private investors to facilitate the process. “We have issued the tender for a network service provider who will provide the STBs to the people and manage them technically; that is actually the last phase of the project.” Rukundo also noted that currently, Digital TV sets can be used to access the internet. “This project does not only improve the picture and watching alternatives, but will also help viewers to access the internet. We will work with internet providers in future so that digital TVs can be used as computers.” The shift from analogue to digital will also help in setting free the limit of frequencies which is dictated to the users of analogue systems. These frequencies will be channeled to telecommunications companies to improve their services. The project will cost an estimated $40 Million, a budget that includes ORINFOR’s relocation to a new site. Ends