Sentech Welcomes Board of Directors & Acting CEO
History
Information about Sentech's history.
Sentech began operations in 1992 under the auspices of the SABC, as a signal distributor for all transmissions related to the SABC. This mandate included services provided to M-Net, Radio 702, Radio Ciskei, Transkei and Bophuthatswana Broadcasting Corporation.
In its Triple Inquiry report published in August 1995, the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) recommended that Sentech be split from the SABC and that Sentech become a public company, with all signal distribution facilities of the former TBVC states and staff also being transferred to Sentech. The IBA report was approved by Parliament in March 1996 and a Sentech Act to implement these measures was adopted by Parliament in November 1996.
Sentech now operates as a commercial state owned enterprise with its own board of directors.
Our Mandate
Sentech is licensed by the IBA as a broadcasting signal distributor in the common carrier category. We are the backbone of broadcasting in South Africa, owning and operating approximately 210 terrestrial broadcasting transmitter sites where short-wave, medium wave, FM, television and MMDS transmitters (more than 1200) are accommodated to serve the various broadcasters in South Africa.
Sentech also owns and operates satellite transmission systems making use of Intelsat and PanAmSat capacity to provide linking for terrestrial transmitter networks and direct satellite broadcasting services. Satellite transmission for direct-to-user reception is provided in analogue PAL format for public broadcasting services to achieve lower reception cost and in digital format to service digital receivers and provide communications channels used by business and public enterprises for corporate communications, information distribution and distance education/training.
In May 2002, Sentech was granted two telecommunications licences, allowing the company to move into international telephony and multimedia communications. The International Telecommunications Gateway licence allows Sentech to carry international traffic on behalf of other licensed operators. The multimedia services licence enables the company to deliver e-commerce, Internet, broadband and value-added telecommunications services direct to consumers and businesses.
