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ITU promotes migration from analogue to digital broadcasting at Global ICT
Forum in Capetown, South Africa
ITU Academy launched to strengthen capacity development in
ICT
Geneva, 23 October 2012 – The Global ICT Forum on Human Capacity Development
in Capetown, South Africa, focused on the migration of analogue to digital
broadcasting, was inaugurated today by Minister of Communications of South
Africa Ms Dina Pule.
ITU released a publication on the
Digital Dividend: ‘Insights for Spectrum Decisions’ and conducted
information sessions on understanding the transition process from analogue to
digital broadcasting. The Report explores the human capacity development
implications of this transition and addresses how organizations and nations can
prepare human capital for a digital economy.
ITU also launched the ITU Academy, an integrated approach to delivery of
training through an e-Learning platform that will run interdisciplinary courses
catering for a wide range of ICT educational needs.
Discussions at the Global ICT Forum on Human Capacity Development centred on
ICTs for capacity building and explored e-Learning trends, strategies and
perspectives as well as innovative uses of mobile devices for knowledge
dissemination.
ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun I. Touré reiterated the need to expedite the
transition from analogue to digital broadcasting and noted that capacity
building lies at the heart of future ICT development. “Digital broadcasting is
the future, and it is essential that we make the transition sooner than later to
keep pace with the fast pace of change in the ICT sector,” Dr Touré said.
‘Digital Dividend’ explained
Speaking on different occasions, Mr Brahima Sanou, Director of ITU’s
Telecommunication Development Bureau noted that ITU recognizes the need to
provide a detailed insight into what the digital dividend process entails and to
help decision makers allocate and manage spectrum and the digital dividend
process. He explained that the digital dividend is the amount of spectrum freed
up by the transition of terrestrial television broadcasting from analogue to
digital.
“Digital broadcasting is inherently more efficient than analogue,” Sanou
said. “Spectrum efficiency gained by the transition of terrestrial analogue
television to digital is the ‘dividend’ that provides a win-win situation for
both consumers and the industry, with more choice and quality in television
services for users and new revenue streams and business models for operators and
service providers.”
Guidelines in the Report provide a framework for developing a roadmap for the
analogue to digital transition process, comprising 43 functional building
blocks, with one specifically dealing with the digital dividend.
The Global ICT Forum discussions on the transition and the ensuing digital
dividend examined the strategic intent and importance of the transition as well
as policy, regulatory, technical and human capacity building implications.
Mr François Rancy, Director of ITU's Radiocommunication Bureau, stated:
“Decisions on the allocation of the digital dividend are among the most
important that need to be taken by regulators and governments in the coming
years. These decisions will to a large extent determine the ability of
populations to access the Internet and broadband. ITU is happy to contribute to
exchange experience and best practices on this important matter.”
New ITU Academy launched
Speaking at the launch of the ITU Academy, Mr Sanou said, “The ITU Academy
will respond to demand for knowledge and skills in information and communication
technology (ICT) training, teaching and research. The Academy will offer a wide
and growing range of general and specialized courses on all aspects of
telecommunications/ICT in Radiocommunication, Telecommunication Standardization
and Telecommunication Development.”
Programmes in the ITU Academy will be delivered both by traditional,
face-to-face means as well as online learning. The programmes will be designed
to equip an expanding number of target groups with the specialist knowledge and
tools needed in the rapidly evolving domain of telecommunications/ICT and to use
the skills and related technology in the creation of a ‘Knowledge Society’.
For more information please contact:
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Sanjay Acharya
Chief, Media Relations and Public Information, ITU
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