In recent weeks, the Beninese government has clarified the terms and conditions for the rollout of DTT in Benin, particularly with regard to the distribution of decoders, a key element in the success of the digital switchover.
The first decision taken by the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, October 7, 2020, concerns the method of DTT broadcasting: after analysis, the government has opted for free-to-air broadcasting. This "free-to-air" option offers the advantage of providing an unencrypted signal, with programs accessible free of charge via a simple decoder. The population will thus be able to freely purchase decoders and reception accessories from distributors.
Following this decision, the Minister for Digital Technology and Digitalization, Ms. Aurelie ADAM SOULE ZOUMAROU, met on October 15, 2020, with publishers and stakeholders in Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) in Benin to involve them in the broadcasting process and present them with the terms and conditions for creating the broadcasting operator: BENIN DIFFUSION, whose role is to coordinate all activities related to the collection, multiplexing, and broadcasting of programs.
In addition, on October 20, 2020, the government published a ministerial decree capping the price of DTT reception kit equipment:
The maximum price for a DVBT2-HEVC decoder is set at 10,000 CFA francs, the maximum price for a low-gain outdoor UHT Yagi antenna is set at 6,000 CFA francs, and the maximum price for a normal-gain outdoor UHT Yagi antenna is set at 8,000 CFA francs. Also
on October 20, the Minister of Digital Technology and Digitalization issued a call for expressions of interest to companies wishing to manufacture or market these decoders and DTT reception accessories for the Beninese market. This call closed on October 30, 2020, at 6 p.m.
On November 17, 2020, Ms. Adam Soulé Zoumarou held a meeting with the companies that responded to the call for expressions of interest to present the support measures taken to ensure the success of the operation: exemption from customs duties and VAT on equipment, and a communication campaign organized in the field with the participation of distributors of Free To Air decoders to raise public awareness of the importance of purchasing approved decoders and reception equipment.
This is a crucial new step for the success of DTT in Benin.
Read also: Interview with Darius Quenum, Chairman of the Steering Committee for the transition to DTT in Benin