The analog to digital revolution occurred at a time when the digital inclusion rate was still in its germination stages in Uganda. Well, Ugandans welcomed the new digital TV guidelines better than they reacted towards OTT & mobile money tax. As we speak, over 8 PayTV service providers are authorized by UCC to fully operate in Uganda and their coverage maps may surprise you.
Although DSTV is the oldest PayTV service provider with its popular sports programming still generating more seconds ahead of several competitors with the same services, other PayTV service providers like Kwese are also revolutionizing digital TV with an even much better internet approach.
But then, only a few providers cover up the country with TV signals streaming in the right broadcast quality. In a 2018 pile up by UCC, Kampala SITI cable is one of the least used services basing on the small coverage map only favoring Kampala and Jinja. Nonetheless, here are the full coverage areas per digital PayTV provider in Uganda.
| Provider | Transmission Mode | Coverage Areas |
|---|---|---|
| DSTV | Satellite | Country Wide |
| ZUKU TV | Satellite | Country Wide |
| AZAM TV | Satellite | Country Wide |
| STAR TIMES SATELLITE | Satellite | Country Wide |
| STAR TIMES | Terrestial | Kampala,Masaka,Entebbe,Jinja,Mbale,Mbra,Luweero,Mukono,Fort Portal, Gulu, Ssese Islands |
| GOTV | Terrestial | Kampala,Masaka,Entebbe,Jinja,Mbale,Mbra,Luweero,Mukono,Iganga,Wakiso,Kasese,FortPortal,Lira,Arua |
| KWESE TV | Satellite | Country Wide |
| Kampala SITI Cable | Cable | Kampala, Jinja |
GoTV and Startimes both offer Terrestrial TV connections, but since the latter has a satellite option for customers willing to spend a little more on the dish, the coverage area for the multichoice owned DTT provider shrinks in comparison to Startimes.
Additionally, the broadcast signals by all providers remain in clear quality as received by the decoders amidst the geographical locations. More so, a satellite connection promises the best quality since signals are received through a dish and the next time you may opt to gift your village buddy a decoder, you may have to opt for one of the authorized dish providers on the list.
Nonetheless, with the recent flaws with UCC successfully solved, digital TV remains the default solution for everyone who wishes to watch local or international stations using a non-inbuilt TV.
