Senegal’s national broadcasting transmission operator, Télédiffusion du Sénégal (TDS), has announced plans to install a new transmission mast to improve terrestrial television reception in the Mbour department, following prolonged signal quality challenges across the Thiès region.
The commitment was made by TDS Director General Dr Aminata Sarr Ndiaye during a visit to Poponguine on Thursday, 5 November 2026, where she handed over 100 digital television decoders to the parish authorities of Notre-Dame-de-la-Délivrante.
The distribution formed part of a wider initiative that began in Tivaouane, aimed at improving access to digital television services among communities.
Dr Sarr Ndiaye confirmed that a new transmission mast would be installed to address reception difficulties affecting households in Mbour. However, the operator has not yet disclosed the proposed mast’s location, height, construction cost or implementation timetable.
She also indicated that government funding allocated to the transmission distributor had been used effectively, although no specific financial figures were provided.
The planned investment addresses a longstanding infrastructure challenge. The original 200-metre transmission pylon serving the Thiès region was dismantled in September 2025 after an assessment found it significantly deteriorated and unsafe.
A temporary 75-metre mast was subsequently installed, but its reduced height has contributed to weaker terrestrial television signal quality across the region.
Since the original structure was removed, TDS has undertaken several initiatives to help households maintain access to digital broadcasting services. These have included distributing 10,000 digital decoders and 5,000 antennas ahead of the Dakar Youth Olympic Games.
While these interventions have helped address equipment access at household level, they have not resolved the underlying transmission infrastructure limitations.
The proposed new mast therefore represents a shift towards addressing the source of the reception problems rather than relying primarily on consumer-side equipment distribution.
For Senegal’s broadcasting sector, restoring reliable terrestrial transmission infrastructure will be important in improving signal coverage, strengthening digital television access and ensuring consistent service delivery to communities across the region.
The development also highlights a broader infrastructure challenge facing digital terrestrial television networks across Africa, where ageing transmission facilities and inadequate coverage can undermine the benefits of digital migration.
Although distributing decoders and antennas can help households access available services, these measures cannot compensate for insufficient transmission capacity or reduced signal coverage.
TDS’s commitment to building a replacement mast marks an important step towards addressing the infrastructure gap, with the project’s eventual impact depending on its implementation, transmission capacity and coverage reach.
