GOtv has been accused of interfering with Star Times’ signals in Rwanda few weeks after it entered the market. According to Star Times CEO, Hans Huo the regulatory body, Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) is not doing much to address the situation.

He said: “GOtv came into the market without testing their equipment which is why we are facing these problems. RURA instructed us not to send out more than 1.3kw of signal power, but when GOtv entered the market they sent stronger signal power yet we are on the same frequency.

“We have pleaded with RURA to allocate us a different frequency but they have ignored our pleas; we are losing money, our clients are frustrated, over 6,000 have complained so far, nearly 400 of them have physically visited our head office over the same.”

He however said RURA had given Star Times up to February 21 to sort out the signal issue.

An official at GOtv admitted that their installations had interfered with Star Times’ signal. “It’s a case of ours overpowering theirs,” the source said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to discuss the matter in the media.

However, the acting director general of RURA, Beata Mukangabo, told The New Times efforts were underway to address technical difficulties involved.

“Issues to do with frequency allocation are not things you can simply jump into because someone has complained. Sometimes you may think that you have solved an issue yet you have caused a bigger problem.