Alternative communications and broadcast technologies are getting a boost in Africa as prospective players gear up to offer new satellite and IPTV services.
The greatest activity is in South Africa. The country’s regulator — the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) — has already vetted the applications of 18 companies that want to offer satellite services in the country, and is due to announce operators that it will grant licences to.
Chinese provider Star Communication Network Technology Co. Ltd. has entered the Rwandan market through its subsidiary, Star Africa Media Co. Ltd. The company is building a wireless, digital pay-TV station based on Digital Video Broadcasting Terrestrial (DVB-T).
Ghana’s Omanye Online, a broadcaster of radio and TV programs over the Internet, has been delivering local news, sports and entertainment by subscription since June this year.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s incumbent telecommunications provider Telkom SA Ltd. is entering the digital broadcasting space and was one of the 18 applicants for licenses. It has created a subsidiary, Telkom Media, which plans to deploy pay TV services over satellite and IPTV platforms.
“Telkom Media is entering this market due to the possibilities offered by converging telecommunications and broadcasting technologies that are complementary to Telkom’s (our primary shareholder) current telecommunication strategies to provide converged solutions and satisfy the diverse needs of an increasingly sophisticated customer base,” said Chris Van Zyl, Telkom Media’s spokesman.
In addition, he said, there is a higher-end market where there is significant interest in the enhanced video and content services that become possible with IPTV, as well as an opportunity to broaden the market for a variety of content services over the Internet.
Telkom Media is targeting South Africa’s middle class and has fashioned out content that will cater for that market, according to
Van Zyl. It plans to offer a bouquet of channels that will address a broad range of interests across sports, movies, news, general entertainment, knowledge and education.
“Local sport and local content is important in terms of driving penetration of the target market. Budgets have been made available to ensure provision of sports coverage, local news, local music and a broad range of local content across other key genres. International content will be accessed from traditional sources (U.S. studios, U.K. majors and independents), as well as from Africa and the rest of the world,” Van Zyl said.
