CAPE TOWN, South Africa & HARARE, Zimbabwe & PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:
Eutelsat Communications (Paris:ETL) announces it has sealed a three-year contract with the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) for Ku-band capacity on the EUTELSAT 3B satellite. The capacity will be used to deliver twelve free-to-view channels to a nationwide network of 48 Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) transmitters so that Zimbabwean viewers can benefit from improved image quality and a wider choice of television programmes.
The agreement between BAZ and Eutelsat will accelerate digital transition of Zimbabwe's national broadcasting network that was initiated in 2011, and reflects the general move across Africa to a fully digital environment.
The new service is currently being tested and is due to launch during first quarter 2016. The project is managed by BAZ that is also working with Transmedia, the country’s national signal carrier, ZBC, the state broadcaster, and Huawei for sourcing of digital equipment, including set-top-boxes for user homes. Huawei will also uplink the digital multiplex from BAZ’s teleport facilities in Harare to the EUTELSAT 3B satellite.
Obert Muganyura, Chief Executive Officer of the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe, said: “Access to EUTELSAT 3B will transform our country into a nationwide provider of digital broadcast services. With this Eutelsat partnership and our project partners, the stage is set for Zimbabwe to accelerate the transition from analogue to digital TV in order to deliver improved service to viewers nationwide."
Michel Azibert, Eutelsat’s Chief Commercial and Development Officer, added: “This contract with the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe marks a first step in our involvement in Zimbabwe’s digitisation process and reflects the increasing contribution of satellite to rapid and efficient digital transition. We are delighted to see EUTELSAT 3B’s increasing weight in the African landscape and to be part of this continent-wide move to digital.”
Meet Eutelsat at AfricaCom 2015 from 17-19 November
Stand n°
D6, Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town
TV Connect Africa, 17 November, midday: Christoph Limmer, Eutelsat VP Global Sales & Commercial Development for Video joins the panel discussion “Understanding and overcoming the inhibitors to Digital switchover in Africa”.
About the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe
A statutory body established to regulate the provision of broadcasting services in Zimbabwe and to assist in the establishment of a modern and effective broadcasting infrastructure for Zimbabwe. The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe is financing the digitalization programme through its Broadcast Fund, which will see the digitalization of all existing analogue television studios to HD quality, the installation of a National Head-end, Satellite Uplink facility for signal distribution and Content Production facilities, and the digitalization of the national television transmission network among other works. The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe is committed to promoting the provision of a wide range of broadcasting services in Zimbabwe which are of high quality and universally accessible.
About Eutelsat Communications
Established in 1977, Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is one of the world's leading and most experienced operators of communications satellites. The company provides capacity on 38 satellites to clients that include broadcasters and broadcasting associations, pay-TV operators, video, data and Internet service providers, enterprises and government agencies. Eutelsat’s satellites provide ubiquitous coverage of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas, enabling video, data, broadband and government communications to be established irrespective of a user’s location. Headquartered in Paris, with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat represents a workforce of 1,000 men and women from 37 countries who are experts in their fields and work with clients to deliver the highest quality of service.
For more about Eutelsat please visit www.eutelsat.com
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