New Pay TV network for Nigeria

[Analoguesat]

ENTERTAINMENT HIGHWAY SELECTS EUTELSAT W4 SATELLITE FOR NEW HiTV PAY-TV PLATFORM FOR NIGERIA

Paris, 13 November 2007

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) today announced the conclusion of a five-year contract on its W4 satellite with Entertainment Highway Ltd (EHL) for a new pay-TV platform serving Nigeria. The contract covers one high-power Ku-band transponder connected to a high-power spotbeam that Eutelsat has focused over Nigeria.

Called HiTV, the new platform comprises 15 digital channels, including three sports channels showing Barclay’s Premier League football from the UK as well as matches from Spain’s La Liga and Italy’s Serie A. Other international channels broadcast in the platform include BBC World, E! Entertainment, God TV, MTV Base, Sky News, Eurosport News, Nickelodeon as well as new channels produced in Nigeria dedicated to local and foreign movies, music, children and general entertainment. Having broken into a highly underserved but hugely potent Nigerian pay TV market, HiTv is adopting a mass market affordable pricing approach and targeting 100,000 homes in its first year of operation.

Using its teleport facilities in Rambouillet, near Paris, Eutelsat is encrypting and multiplexing the platform. It is subsequently uplinked to the W4 satellite by Overon, the broadcasting subsidiary of Abertis Telecom from the Abertis teleport in Arganda, near Madrid. Reception is possible throughout Nigeria with a 60cm dish, a set-top decoder and smartcard.

The service is encrypted using Conax encryption. “Our relationship with Eutelsat could not have come at a better time,” says Toyin Subair, CEO of HiTv. “We were operating a regional terrestrial cable network but needed to achieve nationwide coverage in the shortest possible timeframe.
Eutelsat helped us achieve that seemingly impossible feat. Their world-class team of professional staff guided us through every step and their contribution to our business to date is simply invaluable. Having broken into a hugely potent Nigerian pay TV market, HiTv is adopting a mass market pricing approach and targeting 100,000 homes in its first year of operation.”

Commenting the contract with Entertainment Highway, Olivier Milliès-Lacroix, Eutelsat’s Commercial Director said: “We are very pleased that the flexible configuration of our W4 satellite enables us to provide Nigeria’s new pay-TV platform with a footprint serving their full target market. This new contract shows the dynamic of digital television markets in sub-Saharan Africa for broadcasting international channels and new, locally-produced content. It also further underscores the premium ranking of
our W4 satellite, which, together with SESAT 1 constitute a key video neighbourhood for Africa.”

[$ly]

Watched Nigerian 'Who wants to be a millionaire' on 15W (or 12 can't remember) the other day.

You really ought to see that one AS

[BGonaSTICK]

LOL, hi m8.

Isn't that 'Who wants to scam a millionaire?'

[bigtee]

This was reported here/SH some time go: HiTV Package 36E

[Analoguesat]

Oh yes so it was - I lose track of what threads Ive posted in. Its my advancing years - or possibly the whisky (!)

[BGonaSTICK]

It was only announced officially on the 13th though. Eutelsat are a bit slow sometimes!

[$ly]

Hi guys, Oui se moi

[Robbo]

Originally Posted by $ly

Hi guys, Oui se moi

Hi mate, you are still imported_L.

Robbo

[$ly]

Can't suss the P/W mate( not the same SH one I was using it won't let me in) so created this instead.

[Robbo]

Originally Posted by $ly

Can't suss the P/W mate( not the same SH one I was using it won't let me in) so created this instead.

Do want Brain to sort it for you?

I'll PM you his email address.

Robbo