Eswatini's New Directive: End of Entry of Obsolete Televisions

ESCCOM has issued a Regulatory Notice establishing a ban on the import of analog televisions and digital televisions that are not compatible with the DVB-T2 standard, effective June 2025.

This decision is based on the need to protect the integrity of the country's digital broadcasting ecosystem, following the successful migration to Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) in 2016 and the corresponding analog signal shutdown.

The main objective of this regulation is to prevent obsolete equipment or equipment that does not comply with the DVB-T2 standard from entering the market, thereby protecting consumers from purchasing incompatible devices. Furthermore, it seeks to optimize the use of the digital broadcasting spectrum, in line with national policies and regional commitments regarding digital migration.

WHOM DOES IT IMPACT?

The direct impact is felt by all companies that import and sell televisions, end consumers, regulatory agencies, and customs.

CONCLUSION:

It is classified as having a high impact because, although it does not have a global scope or imply a disruptive technological change, it does generate immediate regulatory obligations for key commercial players in the television device market in Eswatini and requires concrete and urgent compliance actions before the effective date.