Abuja, Nigeria's capital city is now set for Digital Switch Over (DSO). The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, announced this on Tuesday in Abuja during a visit to Pinnacle Communication Limited, a signal distribution company.
The Minister's visit to Pinnacle was to inspect and examine the equipment procured by Pinnacle ahead of the Abuja DSO. Over 450,000 Set-Top Boxes have been provided for Abuja residents for the flag-off of the DSO project.
The digital television transition, also called the Digital Switch Over is the process in which analog television broadcasting is converted to and replaced by digital television. The possession of a Set-Top-Box will make DSO possible and provide access to 30 free channels from news, entertainment, music and so on.
“We are impressed by the speed, commitment and passion of Pinnacle to this project and we have come here to ensure that no stone is left unturned to ensure smooth Digital Switch Over in Abuja on Thursday,” - Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture.
Lai Mohammed while speaking at the Call Centre of the National Broadcasting Commission said the government is concerned about customers satisfaction. According to the Minister, the Call Centre was set up to provide prompt response to subscribers and attend to complaints.
The full implementation of the DSO project across Nigeria is expected to create one million jobs within three years. The Minister made it clear that the Federal Government is optimistic about meeting the 2017 deadline for the DSO project.
Following the successful pilot phase of the Digital Switch Over (DSO) in Jos, the growth recorded is little considering the magnitude of the project. There are still 34 states yet to kickstart the DSO and provide Set-Top-Boxes to its residents. The race to meet up with Nigeria's commitments made to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is still a long journey.
