Kenya hosts Digital Migration and Spectrum Policy Summit

By Dan Muhuni 

African Telecommunications Union (ATU) in partnership with the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology,International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK) and Qualcomm today officially opened the Digital Migration and Policy Summit at the Laico Regency Hotel.

The conference which concludes on Thursday 1^st December 2011 brings together policy makers, regulators, broadcasting and ICT experts across Africa and the rest of the world to encourage and assist Member States to consider effective regional approaches for transitioning and reallocating the digital dividend spectrum.

Minister for ICT Kenya Samuel Poghisio

Addressing the delegates during the official opening ceremony, the Minister for Information Communication Technology Kenya Samuel Poghisio said, “The Government of Kenya is proud of what it has achieved with regard to the development of the ICT and Broadcasting sectors in the country, but of course a lot more still needs to be accomplished. We look forward to interacting with all the delegates in the coming three days so that we can learn and continue to innovate in these very important sectors.”

Speaking at the same ceremony, ATU Secretary General Mr. Soumaila Abdoulkarim said, “ATU as the specialized agency of the African Union has the mission to promote the rapid development of info - communications in Africa in order to achieve universal access and full inter- country connectivity. I hope this forum will provide us with solutions that we require as Member States in our efforts to realize the smooth digital migration and as a result, testify to the rest of the world our capabilities of embracing and enhancing the enabling environment for ICT investment and access in Africa.”

The Union explains that the analog to digital broadcasting migration will transform the lives of many viewers as it will offer them a platform to access more channels, and higher quality pictures.

The summit, whose key note speakers include The Hon. Minister of Posts, telecommunications Technology & ICT, Hon Thierry Moungalla, Director of ITU Radiocommunications Bureau Mr. Rancy Fracois, (we can get others on the day),consists of keynote presentations, as well as deliberate on key topics regarding policies on digital migration including; national administration transition plans in the region, policy and regulation for Digital TV transition, estimation of future spectrum needs for broadcasting in the countries/region, the importance of harmonizing the digital dividend spectrum, establishing procedures for the award of the digital spectrum in the most efficient manner, current status of the digital dividend around the world including spectrum band plan approaches in other regions, using digital dividend spectrum to facilitate broadcasting and broadband development in Africa.