Inview to provide middleware for Ethiopian Digital Switchover

NORTHWICH, UK — Inview Technology has today announced that it has been selected by Set-Top Box manufacturers (Tana and Hi-Tech) and endorsed by the Ethiopian Broadcasting Authority (EBA) to be the sole middleware provider for the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) migration in Ethiopia.

EBA has planned to manufacture and distribute up to 5 million set-top boxes in Ethiopia for the Digital Switchover and Inview’s end-to end software solution will be integrated in all of these DVB-T2 boxes.

Inview will be delivering a wide range of Broadcast Value Added Services (BVAS) including a unified user interface (UI) and branding, feature rich EPG, Government and News Information Portal, eBooks for education, Push VOD and Advertising. These services will allow the government to communicate directly with the nation to inform and educate, while also enabling broadcasters to monetise the digital TV proposition via advertising integrated directly into the EPG and UI with click through full screen messages and adverts.

Jacques Van Hollebeke, VP EMEA commented: “Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world and we are thrilled to provide Broadcast Value Added Services for the DTT migration. Our flexible cloud infrastructure, which enables a high level of functionality but keeps set-top box prices down, in addition to the knowledge and experience we have gained from supporting the transition to digital television in Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, will benefit the Ethiopian Digital Switchover immensely.”

The first supply of set-top boxes are expected to launch at the end of quarter one, 2018 and analogue is planned to be switched off by 2020.

Inview will be exhibiting at IBC, RAI Amsterdam from 15-19 September, 2017 on stand 14.D27 and will be demonstrating its solutions for Digital Switchover markets.