SmarDTV to develop CI+ CAMs for Azam Media in East Africa

Tuesday, September 9th, 2014
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Azam Media Limited enhances product offering in East Africa with conditional access modules from SmarDTV

CHESEAUX, Switzerland — SmarDTV, a Kudelski Group (SIX:KUD.S) company, today announced a cooperation with Azam Media to develop CI+ conditional access modules (CAM) for its AzamTV (DTH) service currently in Tanzania and then across East Africa.

This collaboration reflects Tanzania’s growing demand for mass TV offerings that is hampered by limited terrestrial broadcast coverage (24% of population) following the recent analogue-to-digital switch over.

SmarDTV modules embed the latest generation of the NAGRA conditional access system, ensuring the highest security for Pay-TV contents. Channels are directly accessible on integrated Digital Televisions (iDTVs) with the existing TV remote control. SCART, HDMI cables or extra power leads are no longer needed.

This announcement follows the recent news that NAGRA’s conditional access was selected by AzamTV, whose pay-TV service in Tanzania has seen a spectacular growth in the first half of this year making it the fastest growing pay-TV operator in East Africa with a confirmed plan to expand to the rest of East Africa starting in Uganda and Kenya as of September.

“Demand for better entertainment channels and programs is on the rise in sub-Saharan Africa. iDTVs combined with modules is a fantastic way to accelerate access to pay-TV and encourage customers to take up digital TV services,” says Rhys Torrington, Azam Media CEO. “With this proven technology solution, we would be able to provide Tanzanians with high-quality value-added services and offer more opportunities for viewers in East Africa to enjoy television, plus everything that a digital service has to offer.”

“Tanzania is rapidly moving to digital TV and AzamTV is rapidly emerging as the leading DTH platform,” said Jerome Vial, SmarDTV VP of Sales. “A conditional access module offers a plug-and-play, cost-efficient, very simple to install and a flexible solution that will enhance AzamTV services with a new device. We welcomed the first arrival of IDTV with Common Interface slots on the African continent last year and we are excited to enable AzamTV to benefit from this technology.”