The first decree concerns the discontinuation of analog broadcasting. It had been announced on several occasions that this
would be phased out on June 17, 2020, to make way for digital terrestrial television.
As this deadline could not be met, a new schedule for the switch-off of analog broadcasting was approved by the Council of Ministers on August 19, 2020:
– January 1, 2021, for the switch-off of transmitters in Greater Abidjan and the localities of Bouaflé, Bouaké, Koun-Fao, Korhogo, and Man;
– March 31, 2021, for the twenty-nine (29) other localities in the country.
Furthermore, given the planned switch-off of the analog signal, which will definitively establish DTT in the national audiovisual space, a second decree requires satellite package operators to broadcast DTT channels free of charge in order to guarantee consumers free access to Ivorian DTT channels.
Free DTT channels will therefore be available nationwide to pay-TV subscribers even if they have not paid their subscription fees.