Africa (Sub-Saharan) Digital TV News

OpenView HD FTA DTH service launches in South Africa
Oct 16, 2013 – OpenView HD, Platco Digital’s free-to-air satellite TV platform, is operational and South African viewers can take advantage of an offering that requires nothing more than a one-off payment with no monthly subscription fee.
News categories: OpenView HD, Maxwell Nonge, Digital TV, Satellite, South Africa

Sentech announces launch of FREEVISION in South Africa
Sep 30, 2013 – SENTECH, South Africa's state-owned broadcasting signal distributor has announced that from 30 September 2013 the Company will rebrand its Vivid service as 'FREEVISION', a Universal Access Direct-To-Home Satellite (DTH-S) platform.
News categories: SENTECH, Dr Setumo Mohapi, Digital TV, Satellite, South Africa

SES enables StarTimes to expand TV reach in Africa
Sep 13, 2013 – SES (Paris; Luxembourg: SESG) has announced that StarTimes has signed a contract on SES-5 to expand its media footprint in Africa and deliver DTH services across the continent. StarTimes also acquired SES' 20% shareholding in South Africa's Top TV.
News categories: SES S.A, StarTimes, Top TV, Pang Xinxing, Ferdinand Kayser, Africa, Content Distribution, MandA, Satellite, South Africa

Africa set to deploy digital television
Sep 5, 2013 – Frequency coordination negotiations have succeeded in setting up the mechanism to deploy digital television in 47 Sub-Saharan African countries. The consolidation of national plans is in conformity with the deadlines set in 2006 at ITU RRC-06.
News categories: International Telecommunication Union, Africa, Digital TV, Regulation, Terrestrial

FREEVISION gap-filler DTH service to launch in South Africa
Aug 20, 2013 – SENTECH has announced that it will rebrand its Vivid service as 'FREEVISION' - a Universal Access Direct-To-Home Satellite (DTH-S) service - from 30 September 2013.
News categories: SENTECH, Digital TV, Satellite, South Africa

Altech UEC implements $5 million manufacturing upgrade
Aug 20, 2013 – Altech UEC has further expanded its capabilities with a R50million [US$4.8 million] investment in state of the art equipment to meet the continuing demand for terrestrial set-top boxes, satellite decoders and smart TVs.
News categories: Altech UEC, Finance, Satellite, Set Top Box, South Africa, Terrestrial

Kenya's analogue switch off to begin with Nairobi in December 2013
Aug 6, 2013 – The Kenyan government has announced that Nairobi will be the first to switch over to digital TV broadcasting services on December 13 in a phased switch-off plan scheduled to end on June 30, 2014.
News categories: Digital TV, Kenya, Terrestrial

Pace and MultiChoice work with South Africa's Vektronix to build DStv Explora
Aug 1, 2013 – Pace (LSE: PIC), in partnership with MultiChoice, has announced that it is working with local South African manufacturer Vektronix to assemble and deliver MultiChoice's new HD PVR decoder, the DStv Explora.
News categories: Pace plc, MultiChoice, Vektronix, Digital TV, DVR, Set Top Box, South Africa

Platco Digital to broadcast to South Africa on SES-5 satellite
Jul 24, 2013 – SES (Paris;LuxX: SESG) has announced a 15-year contract with Platco Digital, a sister company of the South African independent broadcaster e.tv, to broadcast a new free-to-air service in South Africa, with future plans to expand across Southern Africa.
News categories: SES S.A, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Satellite, South Africa