Starting January, 2018 the Government of Kenya will be initiating a ban on the importation of digital television decoders.
The Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) issued a statement regarding the ban on importing terrestrial and cable television decoders.
“The importation into Kenya of cable or satellite receivers/decoders that do not comply with the said digital video broadcasting, second generation terrestrial or satellite specifications shall not be permitted from January 1, 2018,” the statement said.
Along with this comes the introduction of new decoders which will be equipped with internet connectivity through an ethernet port.
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Technology expert Vincent Korir has called on Kenyans to embrace the new changes citing the need to be up to date with technology.
“There is no reason to stay in an old system when you can get everything in this new technology, that’s the future but the change will be slow because we do not have proper internet architecture across the whole country,” he said.
As a result television subscribers will need to have access to the internet for them to be able to watch television programmes and those who lack internet connectivity will access the programmes through the terrestrial port.
However, subscribers with internet access will be able to choose from 1,000 television channels.
Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) director- general Francis Wangusi says the move will put Kenyans on track with the latest technology as they standardize devices used to provide television content.
“The Authority has developed draft technical specifications for IPTV set top boxes (STBs) to ensure reliability and acceptable quality of customer premise equipment used in the reception of the said broadcasting service,” said Mr Wangusi Monday in a statement.
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