MultiChoice to expand DTT offering in Sub-Saharan Africa

Naspers-owned South African pay-TV company MultiChoice will be expanding its digital terrestrial television (DTT) offering in Sub-Saharan Africa, satellite services provider Intelsat SA announced today.

MultiChoice has reached an agreement with Intelsat that will expand its capacity on the Intelsat 904 at 60 degrees east satellite to distribute content to terrestrial towers for DTT services.

“Intelsat 904 enables MultiChoice to further expand its DTT GOtv product offering to countries in Sub-Saharan Africa where it is already present, including Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, Namibia and Malawi, and to target new countries,” the company said.

“DTT is an important growth area for MultiChoice, and the quality, reliability and reach of Intelsat’s satellite network enable us to continue to expand our customer base and grow our GOtv product offering across the continent.” said Nico Meyer, chief executive officer (CEO) at MultiChoice Africa.

Digital television and migration have been a contentious issue in South Africa this year.

Last month MultiChoice along with the Association of Community Television South Africa (Act-SA) and the National Association of Manufacturers in Electronic Components (NAMEC) accused communications minister Yunus Carrim of creating a digital migration policy that benefits “certain narrow commercial interests”.

Carrim responded by saying the accusation was an “act of desperation”, intended to influence voters ahead of South Africa’s elections in June.