KAMPALA — The State Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Hon. Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo, has launched the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) One-Beam Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite service, a new platform aimed at expanding access to free-to-air television across the country.
According to the minister, Ugandans will no longer need to rely on the old analogue aerial (antenna) to view television channels, as government and UBC have finalised preparations to introduce a dish antenna that will enable access to both local and international channels.
While the broadcast signals are free-to-air, access requires a one-time hardware fee rather than being entirely free of charge.
Key Details of the One-Beam DTH Service:
*Nationwide Coverage:* The service is designed to provide countrywide free-to-air coverage, reaching remote and hard-to-reach areas where standard digital terrestrial signals struggle to penetrate.
*Cost:* Although the channels are free-to-air, viewers must acquire a TV dish antenna and decoder hardware at a one-time fee of Shs250,000.
*Purpose:* The system seeks to upgrade public broadcasting infrastructure and transition households away from reliance on limited local aerial networks.
Minister Ssebugwawo said the initiative will ensure equitable access to information, improve the quality of public broadcasting, and support government efforts to bridge the digital divide, particularly in underserved communities.
