NBC inspects facilities in Kaduna, to kickoff Digital Switch Over soon

Malam Ishaq Kawu, the Director-General, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on Monday inspected facilities installed in Kaduna State in preparation for Digital Switch Over.

Kawu addressing newsmen shortly after inspecting the facilities said the commission was impressed with the level of work and the equipment installed by Pinnacle Communications Ltd.

The commission, he said had kept some boxes for Kaduna State switch over, in view of the fact that the state was a major urban city, adding that it would come up with modalities on how to distribute Set Top Boxes in Kaduna to ensure smooth transition from analogue to digital switch over in state.

“NBC came here to inspect what has been installed by the signal distributor appointed for Kaduna digitisation which is the Pinnacle Communications Ltd.

“This is a normal pattern in the days leading to Abuja switch over, if you recall we visited the site in Mpape three to four different times.

“The visit will enable us to see exactly the level of work at the beginning, when installation of the equipment started, and eventually commissioning of the transmitters.

“We felt it is important for us to come and see to be able to appreciate and evaluate what has been done so far.

“I can say that we have seen all that have been installed and it is quite impressive what we have seen here today,’’ Kawu added.

He explained that what was remaining to complete the process was the inclusion of the local channels into the transmitter, while assuring that Kaduna digitisation would be much better.

“To be honest, I won’t tell you this is the exact day that we are going to roll out digital switch over in Kaduna.

“ The reason is simple, as you have seen the National and Regional channels are running, but we have to get the local channels to come on board,’’ the DG NBC stressed.

He disclosed that NBC would soon embark on aggressive campaign to reach out to the communities in the state to keep them abreast of the digital switchover in their locality.

Kawu cautioned Kaduna residents not to purchase the boxes yet, noting that the commission would inform them when to buy and activate them, because until the signal is rolled out, set top boxes cannot be activated.

The DG NBC further disclosed that after Kaduna, the commission would move to five other states namely Gombe, Delta, Enugu, Kwara and Osun states.

According to him, digital switchover was capital intensive, adding that it was a process of kick starting the digital national economy.

Earlier, the Chief Engineer, Pinnacles Communications, Mr Tony Webber who conducted the delegation round the facilities, expressed the commitment of the company to ensure successful digital switch over in the state.