STB subsidies called for by Uganda’s Star Times Digital TV

Rebecca Hawkes ©RapidTVNews | 31-10-2011

The Ugandan Government should subsidise the costs of decoders to help boost the country's migration to digital terrestrial television (DTV), according to pay-TV operator Star Times Digital TV.
The China-owned broadcaster, which has provided domestic competition to Multichoice Uganda since early 2010, believes that far more Ugandans could benefit from technological improvements in broadcasting if equipment was made more affordable. Along with other East African nations, Uganda has set a 31 December 2012 deadline for the switch to DTV.
"A successful migration process will require the Government to reduce taxes on devices such that the products reach the consumers at affordable costs," Christine Naggujja, publicist, Star Times DTV is quoted as saying in New Vision.
In Uganda, around 50% of the total cost of a set top box (STB) comprises taxes, according to the newspaper. In comparison, the South African Government has embarked on a programme to fund 70% of the cost of decoders for five million low income households, in the run up to the switchover to digital in that country.
Beefing up its own digital sports programming, Star Times DTV was recently awarded the rights to distribute the UEFA Champions League and Europa League football tournaments from 2012 to 2015 for free-to-air broadcast across sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa).
Speaking on 28 October in Kampala, at the unveiling of a new promotion, Simon Arineitwe, country manager, Star Times DTV said: "Football appears to have a lot of fans globally. We have been working day and night to ensure that subscribers enjoy moments like these, blended with information and educative content."
By subscribing to the pay TV platform's Best View package or purchasing Star Times' enabled TV sets or set top boxes, new customers reportedly win a chance of claiming sh5 million, among a host of other prizes as part of the new 'Watch and Win' promotion