Kenyan govt won’t compensate set top box owners
Written By:Kamau Mbote,



President Kibaki launched the digital terrestrial broadcasts in January 2010

The government has ruled out compensating consumers who had bought the DVBT set top boxes after it upgraded the receivers for use in the country to DVBT2.

Speaking at a stakeholders forum for dealers in digital receiving equipment, Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Henry Mung'asia said the government cannot pay for technology advances but will keep both receivers operational giving consumers time to purchase the new boxes.

Following the launch of digital terrestrial broadcasts in January 2010 the government encouraged Kenyans to purchase set top boxes of the then existing DVB-T technology to access the increased range of channels at better quality.

However the digital technology has developed since then with the DVB-T2 receivers providing a wider spectrum necessitating the government to opt for the newer technology that is in use in various regions including Europe, Middle East and Africa last December.

As a result traders and consumers who had stocked for the DVBT technology have cried foul asking for compensation.

The government has insisted that the migration will go on as scheduled and is calling to retailers of the set top boxes to take advantage of the 20 billion shillings industry to be created by the shift.

The government has also asked local media stations to ensure that enough local content is available for broadcast saying it has set aside 600 million shillings for rollout of digital terrestrial equipment countrywide.

KBC is the parent company to SIGNET that has been rolling out digital infrastructure in Kenya and will provide public updates on digital signal rollout before the lapse of the set deadline which stands at June 2012.

The government has also warned traders of selling the old technology warning of heavy penalties as prescribed by law.