Algeria launches project to fight satellite dish blight
2009-09-17
A new Algerian project aims to replace many of the country's 12 million satellite dishes with a consolidated phone, Internet, and cable TV service.
By Hayam El Hadi for Magharebia in Algiers – 17/09/09
 [Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images] To fight urban blight, Algeria is launching a pilot project aimed at replacing the country's millions of satellite dishes with less visible services. |
To rid Algeria of the millions of satellite dishes that mar the urban landscape, the government is launching a pilot project to deliver phone, internet and cable TV services via fibre-optic cable.
"The damage caused to our cities through the unrestrained proliferation of satellite dishes, which are mushrooming on balconies and building terraces, proved that it was time to put this to a stop and make our facades more presentable," Minister of Post, Information Technology and Communication Hamid Bessalah said last Thursday (September 10th) at the project's official launch.
The new service is being offered by Djaweb, a subsidiary of Algérie Télécom, and aims to gradually eliminate Algeria's estimated 12 million household satellite dishes.
The pilot project centres on the "Triple Play" system, a name which refers to the trio of services on offer, and is getting under way in the capital's Mokhtar Zerhouni housing complex. Residents will be able to access phone, internet, and TV channels via a socket in their flat.
"I'm really happy this is being launched where I live," said Mohamed, a tech-minded student who lives at Mokhtar Zerhouni. "Getting all these services with no hassle is such a relief. No more rushing about, getting satellite receivers flashed or downloading codes illegally. With this service, we can finally watch the channels we want."
Roughly 60 TV channels will be available through "Triple Play", including the French ones, which are the most popular among Algerians.
But the system comes at a price. The project has cost 80 million dinars for Mokhtar Zerhouni's 69 buildings, which contain 1,008 homes. While the price tag has not yet officially been fixed, local press reports indicate that subscribers will have to pay 42,000 dinars annually for Triple Play, which will be set up on demand.
Some members of the public find that price too high.
"I agree that it's nice to get rid of individual satellite dishes," says Mokhtar Zerhouni resident Fatiha. "They certainly don't look nice. But the service we're being offered is way too expensive."
"I work and have two children," she says, adding that Triple Play "would really make a hole" in her budget if added to her other expenses.
The government plans to spread the project across the capital, particularly in housing complexes, and wants an eventual expansion that encompasses other cities and towns. As the project is widened, local authorities will be responsible for the gradual removal of private satellite dishes.
"This operation is aimed at improving living conditions for the public [by] getting rid of individual satellite dishes, which spoil our urban and village landscapes," said Bessalah. "We'll then move on to roll out this system across the country, and we'll be putting this proposal to the government."
A second project to combat the satellite blight is in the works, involving the re-grouping of individual satellite dishes into three common dishes per building. These receivers will distribute Nilsat, Hotbird and Arabsat content to all the building's residents who purchase or rent a decoder.
That project is being developed at 1,000 dwellings in the capital's Aïn Benian area, and will cost 13.5 million dinars.
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ABIB Kamel Posted 2009-09-17
Cable television combined with a selection of highly-watched channels (particularly those with a good standing in Europe and the Arab world) is the solution. It is like iodine. Reducing the pollution on and cleaning up our building facades is a good thing. Guaranteeing heavy foreign and national media access is even better. This is a good initiative.
ismail robleh Posted 2009-10-08
I want to present a project for triple-plays in Djibouti. I would like some advice. –Thank you in advance
mimouni Posted 2009-10-08
This new project consists of plucking the citizens feathers even more, controlling them and reducing their freedoms. The Minister of Post, Technology, Information and Communication Hamid Bessalah knows that his services will be paid for and that the programmes broadcast via satellite to our satellite dishes will be filtered, as will the Internet and even our telephone conversions. The result is that there will be even more expense for the Algerian citizens and less freedom of action and expression. Bravo! What a nice idea! I am sure that all the dictators of Africa will adopt this. This will cost about 40 euros per month per family. What is more, this will be in a country like Algeria, where public minimum wage for a single person is no more than 120 euros per month.
mazal Posted 2009-10-20
"To rid Algeria millions of satellite dishes that mar the urban landscape…""!?! What urban landscape? Meanwhile, the sanitation buildings are full and our balconies are covered in cages and transformed into clothes lines with blankets, rugs, dresses, slips, support garments and so on. Or, they are filled with fountains and covered in brass because people sometimes go overboard. We have seen people install overhangs that go beyond the balcony platform and then put drapes on them that block their view of their neighbour below. I think that the decision-makers need to mind their own business before talking about the urban landscape, and do so without making anyone upset!!! But, this project ought to mean giant profits for someone as well as benefit those providing services for “telephone, internet and television via fibre-optic cable”. Please, we also need food and water. It is too early for Algeria’s Internet and technology!!! There will be no maintenance and there will be scams. You will pay for a megabyte (1024k) and you will not even receive 128k. In the end, I am not saying that we are not able to handle spikes in technology, but that we should just think about our priorities, and all the more so when you know that we are the only country where a check is not an accepted for a transaction and our identity cards are still not electronic. There are times when copying good things from your neighbours is a good idea. The idea of the satellite dish came from France!!! This country, though, is concerned with satellite dishes and not with the scabby dogs everywhere on the street. In the end, we suffer. But, sirs, please, be objective for the good of the country. Please, sir, if you want to transform the urban landscape, let us see the Algeria-Egypt match!
jawad Posted 29 days ago
I oppose such things. I haven't watched all the games for example. They are controlling us as they wish and this is dangerous.
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