Econet Media Selects Verimatrix Cardless Security for its Alternative Video Services across Sub Saharan Africa

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Nov. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- TV Connect Africa 2016 (Booth #TV7) -- Verimatrix, the specialist in securing and enhancing revenue for multi-network, multi-screen digital TV services around the globe, today announced that Econet Media has selected the Verimatrix Video Content Authority System (VCAS™) platform to secure its Kwesé TV service. As part of the initial rollout of its services portfolio, Verimatrix is providing revenue security for the Kwesé app and Kwesé Free Sports channel.

Verimatrix specializes in securing and enhancing revenue for multi-network, multi-screen digital TV services and is recognized as the global number one in revenue security for connected video devices. www.verimatrix.com

Kwesé TV has been developed to provide African consumers with a compelling alternative to the existing TV services in the region. Today, consumers can access premium live sports content, including the English Premier League, National Basketball Association (NBA), Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) and the National Football League (NFL), among others, on Android and iOS mobile devices through the app, FTA set-top boxes, and digital TVs with a built-in set-top box.

"It's an exciting time to be in the broadcasting and media industry in Africa, especially as viewers are looking for increased choice and quality in their programming, as well as more convenient access. We aim to fill the existing gap in the market by providing viewers across the African continent with premium quality content," said Joseph Hundah, Chief Executive Officer of Econet Media. "We recognize that we need to select the right partners in order for us to achieve our objectives, and security is an important aspect of our business. Verimatrix provides us with a scalable and cost-effective security solution."

The VCAS platform and its cardless security solutions are highly flexible to ensure that multi-network and hybrid video delivery can be easily combined with traditional broadcast content. This enables the delivery of on-demand services in a cost-efficient manner. With the VCAS architecture hybrid offerings are just as secure as linear services, and operators gain flexible configuration options to help them stay a step ahead of potential pirates.

"Econet has taken a unique approach to the African TV market with the disruptive Kwesé TV offering, and we are thrilled to be the security partner of choice for the region's freshest premium entertainment platform," said Steve Oetegenn, president of Verimatrix. "VCAS supports Kwesé TV's modern, cost effective approach to video delivery as it is designed to future proof the network by enabling Econet to add more advanced features on the same security platform as their service grows."

Verimatrix will illustrate how security solutions are at the core of all key monetization strategies for pay-TV and Internet video service at TV Connect Africa 2016 Booth #TV7, 15-17 November in Cape Town, South Africa. Geir Bjørndal, VP International Strategy, Sales Middle East and Africa, will present a lunchtime Masterclass session to show operators in Africa how to get started with interactive services over IP. For additional information or to book an appointment with Verimatrix during the show, please visit www.verimatrix.com/TVConnectAfrica2016.

About Econet MediaA subsidiary company of the globally networked Econet Group founded by Executive Chairman Strive Masiyiwa, Econet Media is a dynamic content business driving the development of Kwesé, a fresh new television brand. Created for Sub-Saharan African audiences, Kwesé is inspired by the 'TV everywhere' revolution. As such, a range of Kwesé products will be made available on satellite and internet based platforms, including video-on-demand and mobile options. Focused on providing premium, affordable, exclusive viewing choices, Kwesé products will offer sports, music, movies, series, kids, lifestyle, faith, news and other programming. Consumers will also benefit from the infrastructural strength of Econet Media sister companies, Liquid Telecom and Econet Wireless. Their expertise and capacity in the areas of mobile and fixed telephony services, broadband, internet, satellite and fibre optic networks will be utilized to establish Kwesé products.  In addition, Econet Media have invested intensively to build its own operational assets. www.kwese.com.

Colombia kicks off phase 3 of DTT deployment

Through an $11 million investment, Colombia has kicked off the third phase of its DTT deployment plan, which will bring the digital TV to nearly 88% of the population.

According to the public media authority RTVC, the money will be invested in acquiring, installing and switching on DVB-T2 equipment. The project includes the building of 15 stations that will increase DTT coverage to 87.7% over the next year, aiming for 92% coverage by 2018. However, the initial DTT schedule planned to take the digital signal to the entire population by the end of 2015, a goal that has been continuously postponed.

“We intend DTT to arrive to 100% of Colombians, which is why we are now carrying this new deployment phase, which will give many towns access to more content, better quality and high definition TV,” said John Jairo Ocampo, manager, RTVC.

The 15 new stations will be built in the areas of Bañaderos, Buenaventura, Buenavista, Cerro Azul, Cerro Carepa, El Ruíz, Galeras, Jurisdicciones, La Rusia, Leticia, Martinica, Mirador, Montezuma, Munchique and Saboyá.

Colombia's switch-off is scheduled for 2019, but telecom and TV authorities intend to reach total coverage much sooner to ensure families have the digital technology they need before the analogue signal disappears.

Film and series make up 61% of all pay on demand in Europe

Films and TV fiction are clearly the main driver for on-demand services, according to figures from the European Audiovisual Observatory.

The European Audiovisual Observatory’s MAVISE Database has just undergone a major overhaul with TV and VoD data in 37 countries being completely up-dated, and the figures below are from the database, which is now current up to October 2016. The freely available data can be accessed here.

Pay on demand services specialised in film and TV fiction account for two-thirds of all pay-on demand services in Europe, compared with only 14% of TV channels.

The breakdown of pay on-demand services established in Europe by genre shows that 61% of all on-demand services offer movies and TV series, 12% is generalist, 9% adult, 6% children’s programming and the remaining 12% other types of programming.

These figures are taken from MAVISE – the European Audiovisual Observatory’s free access TV and VoD database. This newly revamped database includes free profile data on TV channels and on-demand services in 41 European countries plus Morocco.

A breakdown of the main pay on-demand services active in Europe by distribution shows that over 60% of the 723 main pay-on demand services established and active in Europe identified by the Observatory are available online, whereas almost 40% are operated by the main TV distributors on their managed networks. Among the pay-on demand services, transactional services (TVOD) – 416 – outnumber subscription services (SVOD) – 307.

The breakdown of TV channels established in Europe by genre shows that among thematic channels, Fiction, Sport, Entertainment are the most prevailing genres. Only 9% of the 5 462 international and national TV channels established in Europe are generalist.

The share of international and national channels established in Europe available on DTT by genre shows that about 22% of international and national TV channels established in Europe are available in Digital Terrestrial Television (free or pay) in at least one country in Europe. Generalist channels access more easily to DTT: close to 46% of generalist channels established in Europe are available on DTT.

ABS and Sarana Media Vision to launch FreeViewSat DTH in Indonesia

Tuesday, November 8th, 2016 

ABS Announces Partnership With PT Sarana Media Vision To Launch New Indonesian DTH FreeViewSat Platform

MACAU — Leading satellite operator ABS has announced today that it will partner with PT Sarana Media Vision (SMV), using SMV’s DTH license to launch a consumer FreeView satellite service – FreeViewSat – across Indonesia in January 2017. The service will be called SMV FreeViewSat and will initially broadcast over 60 television channels via the ABS-2, ABS-2A and ABS-6 satellites in both Ku and C-band.

For the first time in Indonesia, a free-to-view platform will be available throughout the entire country, allowing advertisers the opportunity to reach the full potential of the Indonesian audience.

The FreeViewSat model will promote maximum distribution and the cost of the STB & dish will be less than US$35. Customer will only need to make this one-time purchase to enjoy all the TV channels on the platform (with no monthly recurring subscription fees).

Tom Choi, CEO of ABS commented that “SMV’s FreeViewSat will be very attractive for Indonesia by providing great quality international and unique domestic programming to the entire country. The goal is to deliver high quality entertainment and educational content affordably to all. For the first time, everybody, not only the affluent or those in the urban areas, will be able to receive high quality programming for free, with just a one-time purchase of a set-top box and dish. FreeViewSat will also give advertisers the first real opportunity to reach the whole population of Indonesia, even in rural areas. ABS is delighted to be partnering and supporting this worthwhile venture.’’

At launch in January, FreeViewSat will carry at least 30 local Free-to-Air channels and more than 30 high quality international channels. The number of channels will continue to grow to over 100 channels in the first 6 to 12 months as new and interesting content is added.

FreeViewSat will be available via 75cm Ku band dishes from 75E on ABS-2 and ABS-2A, and via 1.6m C-band antennas from 159E on ABS-6 simultaneously, so that consumers have the choice of small dishes, or larger ones with better rain protection. Since Indonesia already has over 10 million C-band antennas installed, the adoption rate is expected to be rapid.

ABS has selected the ABV conditional access and middleware system, along with Ali Corp chips for its Set-Top Boxes.

Confirmed channels for launch include:

TV9 Nusantara, TVRI Nasional, DAAI TV, TV One, ANTV, Metro TV, Trans 7, Trans TV, SCTV, Indosair, Kompas TV, Net TV, Bali TV.

H2, Bloomberg TV, France 24, Fix and Foxi Channel, Action Hollywood Movies, Pulse TV, Al Jazeera English, CCTV-News, CCTV-4, CCTV-9, Russia Today, MediaCorp Channel, Landscape HD, TRACE Urban and TRACE Sports Stars, B4U Music, B4U Movies, NDTV 247 and NDTV Good Times, and many more.

MultiChoice launches ARRIS HD PVR with HEVC for streaming

Thursday, November 10th, 2016 

MultiChoice Launches New ARRIS HD PVR with HEVC for Enhanced Streaming Services

• HEVC technology to improve quality and value of MultiChoice’s on-demand streaming experiences in Africa

SUWANEE, Ga. — South African pay television provider MultiChoice recently launched the new DStv Explora 2 decoder from ARRIS International plc (NASDAQ: ARRS) to customers in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The flagship decoder is the fourth generation of HD PVR devices that ARRIS and MultiChoice have launched together and makes it easier for customers to access MultiChoice’s growing on demand services. In the future, its HEVC technology will reduce the bandwidth needed to stream or download shows, helping to lower the data charges that customers incur when streaming or downloading content from one of the DStv services.

The device features a streamlined hard drive and ships with a new remote control that features motion-sensor back-lit buttons and a dedicated ShowMax button.

“We invest in technology that enables us to offer our customers the leap in entertainment at the best value,” said Gerdus van Eeden, Group CTO Naspers: Video Entertainment Segment. “We’ve collaborated with ARRIS on our HD PVR decoders for nearly a decade, and we’re confident in their ability to deliver advanced technology to make tomorrow’s entertainment more accessible today. The DStv Explora 2 will help us to offer our customers a wider range of entertainment which they can stream or download to watch when they are read.”

“ARRIS and MultiChoice have a long-term partnership, and we’ve built on this by designing another set-top for MultiChoice that uniquely addresses the needs of their customers,” said Steve McCaffery, Managing Director of International Sales and Business Operations for ARRIS. “Fitting their new HD PVR platform with HEVC was an elegant solution for delivering their full range of HD content. In addition, our global scale development expertise coupled with our established local presence enabled us to continue manufacturing the set-tops locally in South Africa, which represents our reciprocal investment in the region.”

Join ARRIS at TV Connect Africa, 15-17 November in Hall 4, stand TV19. ARRIS will be showcasing the future of broadband and video for the African market, including: Wi-Fi for inside and outside the home; HEVC encoding; IP video delivery and ARRIS’s broad range of set-tops and gateways.

Canal+ France subscribers down 542k; International up 505k in year to end-3Q 2016

PARIS — Vivendi’s Supervisory Board met today under the chairmanship of Vincent Bolloré and reviewed the Group’s Condensed Financial Statements for the first nine months of 2016, which were approved by the Management Board on November 7, 2016.

Canal+ Group

Canal+ Group revenues amounted to €3,902 million, down 3.3% compared to the first nine months of 2015 (-2.7% at constant currency and perimeter). Canal+ Group had a total of 11 million individual subscribers, a year-on-year decrease of 19,000. The international subscriber base continued to grow strongly, notably in Africa. In mainland France, the number of subscribers continued to decline to 5.4 million as of September 30, 2016.

Revenues from pay-TV operations in mainland France were impacted by the lower subscriber base, despite a slight increase in ARPU. International pay-TV revenues increased thanks to the growth in the individual subscriber base, notably in Africa where Canal+ Group added 505,000 subscribers since September 30, 2015.

                         September 30,  September 30,
                                  2015           2016  Change
                         -------------  -------------  ------
Individual subscribers          11,024         11,005     -19
  Mainland France                5,926          5,384    -542
  International                  5,098          5,621    +523
    Poland                       2,084          2,093      +9
    Overseas                       492            500      +8
    Africa                       1,744          2,249    +505
    Vietnam                        778            779      +1


Subscriptions                   15,438         15,473     +35
  Mainland France*               9,315          8,720    -595
    o/w CanalPlay                  774            620    -154
  International                  6,123          6,753    +630

* Individual and collective subscriptions with commitment and without commitment (Canal+, CanalSat, CanalPlay).

The transformation plan at Canal+ in France is well underway

To boost its subscriber base, Canal+ Group has redesigned its offers and its distribution model in France.

It has entered into strategic partnerships with Free and Orange to offer a bouquet of themed channels to be included in their triple-play packages. This new distribution strategy enables Canal+ Group to considerably expand its subscriber base in France while increasing the exposure of the channels being distributed.

Canal+ Group also introduced completely overhauled offers to be launched on November 15, 2016. The Canal+ channel will become the gateway to all new Canal offers. Subscribers will be able to modularly add themed packages to the Canal+ channel, including movies and series channels, sports channels and/or the Canal+ channels. All of these offers will be available with or without commitment. Canal+ Group will also launch a commitment-free premium offer available only on PCs, tablets and smartphones.

In parallel, Canal+ Group is pursuing the implementation of its €300 million cost optimization plan for Canal+ in France. The full effects of the plan are expected to be realized in 2018, with savings of around €60 to €80 million to be achieved in 2016.

2016 a banner year for U.S. 4K UHD TV sales

2016 a Banner Year for 4K UHD TV: Display Sales to Grow 40 Percent as 4K Ecosystem Continues to Expand, Says CTA

ARLINGTON — Holiday (Q4) shipments of 4K Ultra High-Definition (4K UHD) televisions in the United States are expected to reach 4.5 million units, driving total 4K UHD sales for 2016 to 10 million units, a healthy 40 percent increase over 2015, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)™ announced today. Sales of 4K UHD TVs continue to increase as more brands and screen sizes are available at lower prices, new technologies such as High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Wide Color Gamut (WCG) are more widely available, and consumer demand grows.

CTA forecasts 4K UHD displays will account for 56 percent of all TV sales during Q4 as the category steadily moves toward comprising nearly 50 percent of total annual TV sales. CTA’s annual holiday research shows TVs are among the most desired technology holiday gifts this year, behind notebook computers and tied with smartphones. Even as HDR-compatible sets and displays with other new technologies comprise an increasing share of the product mix, the average wholesale price of 4K UHD TVs has declined 22 percent since January.

“We’ve been bullish about 4K UHD since day one, and market growth continues to justify our enthusiasm,” said Gary Shaprio, CTA president and CEO. “Manufacturers are introducing an increasing variety of 4K UHD displays at a range of price points. Many of these displays include new innovations like HDR and WCG that make the viewing experience more immersive. Strong growth in display sales, combined with the increasing number of 4K UHD Blu-ray discs and other content, 4K cameras, and additional devices in the market will cement 2016 as a ’banner year’ for 4K UHD.”

The robust 40 percent increase in sales since last year makes 4K UHD TV one of the industry’s fastest-growing segments, although CTA initially forecast total unit sales for the year to reach 14.5 million units. The updated forecast reflects finalized Q2 data showing a more gradual growth curve as TV makers transitioned to new 4K UHD models, according to Steve Koenig, CTA’s senior director, Market Research. “We also expected to see TV manufacturers move more quickly to a greater mix of 4K in screen sizes above 40 inches, which now appears to be shaping up as a 2017 trend,” said Koenig.

“With 10 million units shipped this year, 4K UHD sales are historically very strong, particularly for the TV category which has overall household penetration of 96 percent,” Koenig explained. “Growth of the 4K UHD market continues to dwarf the transition to high-definition television. Just three years since introduction, cumulative sales of 4K UHD displays are forecast to hit 18.6 million units, while sales of HDTVs reached 4.2 million units in their first three years on the market.”

Further, the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format sold its 1 millionth disc in October, racking up more then $25 million in consumer spending, according to data from Futuresource cited by the Blu-ray Disc Association.

4K UHD is the next generation of high-definition display technology for the home, offering consumers an incredibly immersive viewing experience with superior picture quality compared to current HD displays. 4K UHD will be one of the major product trends at the upcoming CES® 2017, the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies, with manufacturers unveiling their latest innovations in display, content delivery and capture devices, and related products. Content developers also are expected to announce new 4K programming at CES 2017.

CTA continues to collaborate with its member companies to grow the 4K UHD market, by setting display characteristics and guidelines, developing related logos, conducting consumer education and media engagement campaigns, and leading cross-industry coordination with other key stakeholders in the 4K UHD ecosystem.

India：Videocon D2H to merge with Dish TV

Videocon D2H to Merge With Dish TV India Creating a Leading Cable and Satellite Distribution Platform in India

NEW DELHI — The Board of Directors of Dish TV (NSE: DISHTV) (‘Dish TV’) and Videocon d2h Limited (NASDAQ: VDTH) (‘Vd2h’) today approved a scheme of arrangement for the amalgamation of Vd2h into Dish TV (the ‘Scheme’) and the execution of definitive agreements in relation to such amalgamation (the ‘Proposed Transaction’).

Following the closing of the Proposed Transaction, the merged entity will be renamed as Dish TV Videocon Limited (‘Dish TV Videocon’). Pursuant to the Scheme, Dish TV Videocon shall issue 857.79[1] million shares as consideration for the Scheme and the Vd2h shareholders shall be allotted 2.02[1] new shares of Dish TV Videocon for every one share held in Vd2h (subject to certain adjustments as set out in the Scheme), which would result in Dish TV shareholders owning 1,066.86[1] million existing shares or 55.4% of Dish TV Videocon, and Vd2h shareholders owning 857.79[1] million new shares or 44.6% of Dish TV Videocon.

Dish TV Videocon will be led by Jawahar Lal Goel as Chairman and Managing Director, combining the strength of senior and operating management teams while offering further career growth opportunities for employees of the two merging companies. The Vd2h principals shall have the right to nominate two directors on the Dish TV Videocon Board, one of whom shall be Vice Chairman and the other, a Deputy Managing Director.

The Proposed Transaction is expected to create a leading cable and satellite distribution platform in India. Dish TV Videocon would serve 27.6 million net subscribers in India, as of September 30, 2016 on a pro forma basis, out of a total of 175 million TV households in India highlighting significant room for growth. The combined entity would have a revenue of Rs. 59,158 mn and EBITDA[2] of Rs. 18,262 mn on a pro forma basis for the fiscal year ended 31 March, 2016 positioning it as a leading media company in India. The Proposed Transaction is expected to provide better synergies and growth opportunities and enable Dish TV Videocon to provide differentiated and superior service to all customers through deeper after-sales, distribution and technology capabilities, and also become a more effective partner for TV content providers in India.

Jawahar Lal Goel, Chairman and Managing Director of Dish TV said, “We are pleased to announce this combination at a time when the cable and satellite industry in India is rapidly progressing on the path to digitization. This transaction, that brings together two powerhouse brands of the cable and satellite industry in India, will provide us with a gateway to harness growth opportunities in an ultra competitive multi player environment. This combine will enhance value for all stakeholders – consumers, government, employees and shareholders. Dish TV has been a pioneering and path-breaking company which has taken the pain and responsibility of establishing many new processes, like the electronic and digital payments system that were the business need of the initial years and went on to become the industry norm of a dynamic and throbbing Industry. Now, we take the next leap in our very exciting and exhilarating journey.”

Saurabh Dhoot, Executive Chairman of Vd2h said, “Since the commercial launch of Vd2h seven years ago, we have created a highly successful and high-growth DTH business with a solid foundation. We went public on the NASDAQ with a vision to take the company to the next level and emerge as a leading, innovative and highly profitable Indian media platform. Today, we are very excited about this strategic combination to create a solid platform with decisive and proven leadership at the front, leading Dish TV Videocon to create value for all stakeholders, our customers, employees, and shareholders.”

At the close of the Proposed Transaction, the current promoters of Dish TV shall continue as promoters of Dish TV Videocon. The Dish TV principals are also in discussion with the Vd2h principals to purchase some of the Vd2h principals’ shares in Dish TV Videocon post the amalgamation, details of which are likely to be finalized soon.

Upon closing of the Proposed Transaction, Dish TV Videocon shall continue to be listed on the National Stock Exchange of India and the BSE Limited in India and on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange in the form of GDRs. In the Scheme, holders of Vd2h ADRs will receive their new shares in the form of GDRs, unless they elect to receive and hold new shares directly.

The Proposed Transaction remains subject to approvals, including from the Securities and Exchange Board of India, the stock exchanges, shareholders and creditors of both companies, the Competition Commission of India, the High Court of Bombay and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The Proposed Transaction is expected to close in the second-half of 2017.

Morgan Stanley is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Dish TV and YES Securities (India) Limited is acting as lead financial advisor to Vd2h. The other advisors involved in the transaction are EY, SR Batliboi & Co. LLP, Luthra & Luthra Law Offices for Dish TV, and KPMG, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co., and Edelweiss Capital for Vd2h. Shearman & Sterling is acting as international legal advisor to both Dish TV and Vd2h in respect of the, US federal securities law and related aspects of the Proposed Transaction.

1. The fully diluted share count of Dish TV at 1,066,863,665 shares, which will lead to 857,785,766 shares of Dish TV Videocon being issued to Vd2h shareholders. Exchange ratio rounded off to two decimal places. One Vd2h ADS represents four equity shares of Vd2h.

2. Dish TV EBITDA are reported EBITDA figures, while Vd2h EBITDA are reported adjusted EBITDA figures; EBITDA is not a standardized term, hence direct comparison between companies using the same term may not be possible. Other companies may calculate EBITDA differently from Dish TV and Vd2h, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures

Next Step selects ATEME for HEVC DTH service in Thailand

Next Step Selects ATEME’s TITAN to Power the First HEVC DTH Service in Thailand

PARIS, MIAMI, SINGAPORE — ATEME announced today that Next Step, a Thai multi-channel DTH operator and distributor and the owner of Freeview HD and Good TV — a new HD DTH Free to Air satellite TV Platform— is using ATEME’s TITAN solution. TITAN will encode and transcode to H264 and HEVC formats SD and HD content for Next Step’s satellite Direct to Home (DTH) TV offering in the country.

ATEME provided Next Step with a complete video headend, which includes a software-based TITAN Live combined with a multi-function TITAN transcoder, as well as all necessary resources that are required for a high-quality service. ATEME’s TITAN solution is being used to encode and transcode more than 40 channels delivering the premium video quality to viewers and allowing Next Step to add more channels in a bandwidth efficient way in the near future.

TITAN is a virtualized software-based encoder-transcoder, designed for cable, DTH and OTT. It supports HEVC, H.264 and MPEG-2 codecs, with resolutions from mobile devices to 4K-UHD. It is a high-density solution that delivers the highest video quality at minimum bitrates. TITAN Live is a complete distribution solution: encoder, transcoder, multiplexer, statmux, packager and origin. With its powerful user interface, management system and extensive set of APIs, TITAN can easily integrate with any ecosystem, reducing time-to-market and OPEX.

“After testing several solutions, the bandwidth efficiency and impressive video quality offered by ATEME’s TITAN made a crucial difference,” says Amornphat Chomrat, managing director, Next Step. “Their solution matched perfectly with our installed equipment and our whole ecosystem. We found TITAN to be the right choice in terms of video quality and rapidly adopted it.”

Yoann POIZEAU, VP sales APAC of ATEME says: “We’re thrilled to be working with Next Step on their first major DTH HEVC headend project. They will be able to provide, through satellite distribution, unparalleled video quality at minimum bitrate and rapidly answer the demand for high quality content in the region.”

Sky D CEO sees bright future for TV

The CEO of German pay-TV broadcaster Sky Deutschland, Carsten Schmidt, considers television as we know it not to have reached its end.

People now carry their own screens with them which makes broadcasters offer an increasing number of products for mobile usage, Schmidt told German magazine Bunte. “But I also believe that the TV set in the living room will stay the centre of entertainment. People want to jointly experience and watch something.”

The public TV broadcasters will also continue to exist, but they must not stick in their tradition, said Schmidt. “TV licence fee payers want to know more than ever what happens with their funds being spent by the broadcasters.”

For Sky’s original productions, Schmidt demands quality and exclusivity. “Be courageous, Sky is not mainstream! We will take the freedom to deliver the quality and exclusivity our customers expect from us,” he stressed.

From October 21, 2016, Sky Deutschland will screen 10-part drama series The Young Popewith Jude Law, a co-production by Sky, Canal+ and HBO.

Pakistan's InCable selects Exset DMS middleware

Pakistan cable operator InCable creates new revenue and viewer value with Exset’s DMS

THE NETHERLANDS — InCable has become the latest operator to select Exset in order to create and deploy value add and dynamic advertising services across its digital cable network. One of the largest Pakistani cable operators, it’s based in Lahore and is currently rapidly expanding its digital network.

InCable deploying Exset’s complete ecosystem with the latest bundled services. This is a turnkey integrated solution recently launched by the company at the heart of which sits its flagship DMS 5.0 middleware.

Mahmood Ulhaq, Exset’s Director of Business Development Asia, said, “We have worked with InCable to understand the market pressures it faces. We’re now supplying the powerful DMS 5.0 as well as surrounding technology. This includes high cost-effective, DMS-integrated Newland set-tops and EPG services together with dynamic ad insertion. InCable benefits by receiving set-tops with DMS integrated; the ability to create and launch services via the EPG; security options; and the DMS publishing engine. Then there’s also the enhanced EPG UI and its smart advertising capabilities.”

Irfan Goraya, Managing Director of I. N Cable pvt Ltd, said, “We very carefully looked at the market and we chose not to go with the cheapest option because we know that route has failed people in the past. We wanted a comprehensive solution that can help power our digital network rollout from both a technical and business perspective. Exset is providing that, not least with its consultancy services.”

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (PEMRA) current analogue switch-off date for the country is the end of September 2016. There have been challenges as the country moves from analogue to digital infrastructure with that date not the first that was announced.

Ulhaq said, “We are providing operators with the ability to create services in a digital world over and above video, adding massive additional value to their proposition, helping them drive the digital transition. This helps them in their arguments to convince subscribers to move to digital by creating a whole range of services at a price point that is attractive to the population. In turn, this increases their revenue and will reduce churn.”

EXSET is from Russia ACTUALLY, NOT Netherlands.

Liberty to buy Multimedia Polska

Liberty Global has agreed to buy the cable interests of Multimedia Polska, Poland’s third largest cable operator, in an all-cash transaction.

The deal, which values the company at PLN3 billion (approximately $760 million), may see the final purchase lowered, depending on the operational and financial performance of Multimedia prior to closing. Financed through a combination of incremental debt borrowings and cash on hand, it will be subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approval, and is expected to close within the next 12 months.

Multimedia’s non-cable interests, which include insurance, gas and energy operations, will be retained by its current shareholders.

Liberty already owns UPC Polska, Poland’s largest cable company. Taken together, it and Multimedia’s operations pass over 4 million homes and business.

Commenting on the deal, Mike Fries, CEO of Liberty Global, said: “This acquisition will significantly increase our scale in Poland, where we are already the largest cable operator. It will also enhance our ability to invest in cutting-edge products and services for Polish consumers and businesses that will help drive organic growth across our enlarged footprint of over four million premises. Upon closing of the transaction, we will begin upgrading the Multimedia network, after which Multimedia’s customers will be able to enjoy superfast broadband speeds and our next- generation video service Horizon TV.”

Broadband TV News notes that the possible acquisition of Multimedia by Liberty has been rumoured in Poland for a number of months. Speaking to Broadband TV News at Cable Congress in Warsaw in June, Jerzy Straszewski, the president of the Polish Chamber of Electronic Communications (PIKE), said that would be unlikely to have a major impact on the country’s cable industry.

However, we note that once completed it will leave Liberty in a much stronger position in the Polish cable market, with the only other operators of significant size being Vectra, currently the number two player, Toya and Inea.

Significantly, it should also be borne in mind that the last time Liberty undertook a major cable acquisition in Poland – Aster in 2012 – it took around a year to close, with the competition authorities imposing stiff conditions, including the onward sale of some of the assets to a third, independent party.

Ghana: 500USD per DTT device model

By Nana Appiah Acquaye, Accra, Ghana

Manufacturers and Importers of free to air digital terrestrial television (DTT) receivers such as set top boxes (STBs) and integrated digital TV sets (iDTVs) are expected to pay a fee of GHS1, 925.00 or its Dollar equivalent of US$500.00 (for requests emanating from outside Ghana) per model to the National Communications Authority (NCA).

It’s only after receipt of payment that the National Communications Authority will then certified the authenticity of a receiver and grant an official conformance logo confirming to consumers that the receiver is Ghana DTT compliant and safe for public consumption.

This development has become necessary following Ghana’s quest to carry out a transition of television broadcasting services in the frequency bands 174–230 MHz and 470–862 MHz from analogue to digital technology.

Operating under the Regulation of broadcasting spectrum and technical standards Section 2 of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008, Act 775, the National Communications Authority is mandate to regulate the radio spectrum designated or allocated for use by broadcasting organizations and providers of broadcasting services in accordance with the standards and requirements of the International Telecommunications Union and its Radio Regulations as agreed to or adopted by the Republic.

In furtherance of carrying out this function, the law mandates the Authority to determine technical and other standards and issue guidelines for the operation of broadcasting organizations and bodies providing broadcasting services hence the formulation of a conformance regime which will certifies all DTT receivers manufactured or assembled in Ghana or imported for use in Ghana.

Outlining the processes manufacturers and importers of DTT receivers will have to go through to secure a conformance logo, the regulator revealed that after acknowledging the receipt of the application within five working days upon receipt of the application, it shall then notify the applicant of any outstanding issues with the application within this period.

It noted that if the application is complete and satisfactory, the Authority shall grant the logo award within a period of not more than fourteen days, but  If the application is incomplete, or there are issues to be rectified, the applicant shall rectify them at his/her earliest convenience and notify the Authority of same.  “The Authority shall within a period not exceeding fourteen (14) days, grant the logo award after it receives notice that all issues have been rectified by the applicant,” it added.

Manufacturers are however advised to obtain approval from the National Communications Authority before producing any product packaging/ publicity materials featuring the Digital Ghana thumb logo. 

Fixed Internet Becomes Less Popular in Russia

The Russian Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications (Minsvyaz) made a report, comparing the fi rst, the second quarter of 2016 and the previous year. According to this document, the number of active broadband customers in Russia was reduced by 1.4% to slightly more than 26.9 million in the second quarter of 2016. The year-to-year growth of the customer base amounted to 6.4%.

Previously, the number of broadband subscribers fell only in the second quarter of 2014 – providers lost a little less than 68,000 subscribers, or a little less than 0.3%. A certain operator’s employee claims that 2016 brought the fi rst signifi cant downfall trend for the customer base. Minsvyaz has established that while the number of FIXED broadband users falls, the number of mobile internet subscribers grows. In the second quarter of 2016, the increase was 3.7% and there were 98.9 million mobile internet clients. The year-to-year growth reached 3.9%.  

Russia: Tricolor TV Launches Satellite Internet

After one failed attempt to start providing satellite internet services, the National Satellite Company (Tricolor TV brand) decided to enter the market again. Together with the European satellite internet provider Eutelsat Networks, Tricolor TV performed a commercial service launch of two-way satellite internet access. Tricolor TV spokesperson explains that this time the company could successfully overcome the initial diffi culties using modern technologies.

Tricolor TV and Eutelsat Networks launched two-way satellite internet into commercial service with the speeds up to 40 Mbps for forward communication channel and 12 Mbps for the reverse channel. The internet operates in the coverage area of Express-AMU1 satellite (Eutelsat 36C). 

Adsmart comes to Sky Italia

Sky is to launch its targeted advertising service Adsmart in the Italian market during the late summer.

Sky Media’s Daniele Ottier told Prima Comunicazione it would be a “real revolution”.

Advertisers will be able to target around 3 million of the 4.7 million installed base in the country. Ottier said advertisers would be able to reach geographically defined areas and determine in advance the objectives of a particular campaign.

Adsmart has been available in the UK since January 2014.

Zenterio wins landmark deal with Megacable

Zenterio wins landmark deal with Megacable – Mexico’s largest MSO

• Zenterio will roll out its independent Zenterio OS and HTML5 UI framework JetUI on both legacy set-top boxes and on all new set-top boxes being deployed by the major LatAm operator

STOCKHOLM — Zenterio, a leading TV technology and services provider, has won a major deal with Megacable, Mexico’s largest multiple-system operator (MSO), to enhance Megacable’s existing TV platform and generate additional revenues from new IPTV and OTT applications.

The deal with Megacable is Zenterio’s first direct deployment with an operator of this magnitude in the LatAm market and it shows the global appeal of an independent operating system as well as the importance of being able to offer a customizable UI that can be adapted to local requirements.

Zenterio OS will run on all new set-top-boxes being deployed and will be used to migrate several different legacy boxes in order to harmonize the operational environment. Making full use of Zenterio’s JetUI framework will also enable Megacable to provide a unified, attractive and intuitive user experience across all devices. The new TV platform means that Megacable diversifies its distribution techniques and adds IPTV and OTT applications to its offering.

Jorgen Nilsson, CEO, Zenterio, said: “Harmonizing the software environment means that the TV operator will cut cost on operations, maintenance and support, and that is a major improvement in and of itself, but the most important thing is that having the same OS on every box also means that you only need one integration for any new service. As the TV industry undergoes a rapid transformation, operators must meet new demand, create new services and revenue streams, and cut time to market to remain competitive. In addition, this creates a great opportunity to take a leading role in defining this change, so we are very excited to partner with Megacable in Mexico.”

The completed TV platform, including Zenterio OS and Zenterio’s HTML UI framework, will run on six different STB models initially (three with DOCSIS and three with Ethernet) and will support Live DVB-C, hybrid OTT, adaptive streaming, network PVR and time shift as well as start-over TV, catch-up TV, video on demand and social sharing.

The project is part of a major transformation of the Megacable offering, marking the transformation from being a cable operator to a hybrid operator by adding IPTV. The full scope also entails changing out the back-end, the CAS provider and launching exciting new OTT services. The first launch of these new services is expected in early 2017 and will mean an improved TV experience for all of Megacable’s almost 3 million subscribers.

Henrique Yamuni, CEO, Megacable, said: “Through our agreement with Zenterio, we will be able to provide a superior user experience and make it easier and more intuitive for our subscribers to find and enjoy their favorite shows. The solution will also give us a unified user experience across all platforms and the opportunity to monetize additional content models. At Megacable we strive to be a cutting edge company offering innovative solutions to our subscribers and we are certain that Zenterio will help us towards achieving this.”

The Mexican pay TV market is growing rapidly, adding 13% year-on-year to a total of 18.2 million subscribers, and in 2017 it is expected to become the third largest market in the Americas after the U.S. and Brazil, according to Quantum Web. Megacable is growing faster still and increased its subscribers by 17% year-on-year to a total of 2.98 million.

Inspur Ericsson Cable TV China Infrastructure Set Top Box Smart Home

BEIJING — Inspur Group (hereinafter referred to as “Inspur”) and Ericsson, the global leading supplier of communication technology and services, jointly announced on July 13 that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The MoU builds upon the existing cooperation between the two parties that dates back to 2002, when Ericsson and Inspur established a joint venture to develop radio technology and products. This collaboration is another major milestone in the cooperation between the two companies. With this new agreement, the two companies will expand their collaboration into new business areas such as cloud infrastructure, TV and media, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

In cloud infrastructure, Inspur and Ericsson will test and verify the compatibility and performance of selected Ericsson software solutions related to areas such as Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), IoT, OSS/BSS and cloud on Inspur’s hardware platform, and evaluate joint proof-of-concept (PoC) opportunities.

In addition, the two companies will align standardization and participation in open forums such as ODCC and OPNFV, as well as explore possibilities for joint PoCs in areas such as 5G core networks, NFV, and management and orchestration (MANO) with operators and enterprise LTE customers.

In TV and Media, the cooperation aims to launch a total solution that enables the next generation of media cloud, and will start by integrating Ericsson’s MediaFirst solution with Inspur’s advantage of cloud computing. Inspur has agreed to customize its digital set-top box and other terminals to meet the requirements of Ericsson and its strategic customers.

With global industries rapidly embracing the transformational power of ICT, Inspur and Ericsson will provide joint development of IoT solutions for various vertical industries, and collaborate on future smart city projects, including smart parking, green energy, smart transportation, smart community, smart home, smart building and e-government solutions.

Furthermore, Inspur and Ericsson will partner to design and build data centers and communication infrastructure to address China’s “One Belt, One Road” markets, while in the global market, the two parties will explore strategic partnerships.

Grupo Televisa results for second-quarter 2016

MEXICO CITY — Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. (NYSE:TV; BMV: TLEVISA CPO; “Televisa” or “the Company”), today announced results for second-quarter 2016. The results have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”).

Sky

Sky Second-quarter sales increased by 18.1% to Ps.5,580.7 million compared with Ps.4,724.5 million in second-quarter 2015. The increase was driven by accelerated growth in the subscriber base in Mexico. The number of net active subscribers increased by 121,235 during the quarter to 7,803,614 as of June 30, 2016, compared with 6,887,428 as of June 30, 2015. Sky ended the quarter with 201,356 subscribers in Central America and the Dominican Republic.

For the first six months of the year, Sky added 519,452 net subscribers, more than double the 249,396 net subscribers added in the first six months of 2015.

Cable

Second-quarter sales increased by 12.9% to Ps.7,802.1 million compared with Ps.6,909.7 million in second-quarter 2015 driven by growth in all of our cable platforms. Voice and data revenue generating units, or RGUs, grew 28.6% and 18.5% compared with second-quarter 2015, respectively, and video RGUs grew 7.7%.

The following table sets forth the breakdown of RGUs per service type for our Cable segment as of June 30, 2016 and 2015.

RGUs            2Q’16      2Q’15
----------  ---------  ---------
Video       4,219,906  3,916,512
Broadband   3,258,061  2,748,401
Voice       2,051,434  1,595,761
----------  ---------  ---------
Total RGUs  9,529,401  8,260,674

More: 2Q 2016 results (pdf)

Médiamétrie releases France TV market survey

LEVALLOIS — Médiamétrie has released results from its Médiamat’Thématik survey of the French television market. According to the survey, out of a total of 58.249 million TV households in the country, 43.776 million (75.2%) receive their TV service via satellite, cable or over DSL.

IPTV has the largest share with 28.533 million customers, followed by satellite with 15.220 million. Cable TV makes up the remainder at 5.611 million.

Out of the total, 12.032 million take a pay TV service, with 9.095 million subscribing to Canalsat either via satellite or over ADSL, and 3.063 million subscribing to cable (either analogue or digital).

The survey took place between December 28, 2015 and June 12, 2016 and covered 8,930 people aged 4 and above living in 3,690 households.

9 INDIAN COMPANIES TO PRODUCE STBS WITH ICAS COSTING LESS THAN $0.5

The Indian’s Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) has identified 9 private companies in total to produce set top boxes equipped with Indian Conditional Access System (iCAS), giving the consumer the choice over the pay channels beamed into his home.

Although a time-limit for the production of the STBs for the growing demands of boxes was not declared, it has been said that it could occur at the same time with the deadline of Digital Addressable System (DAS) in December 2016. Around 70-80 million of boxes are estimated to be needed in the III & IV phase of the digital migration process.

The companies which have been identified are Melbon-Millenium Technologies (Delhi-based), Solid-KMTS Engineering Pvt. Ltd, MyBox Technologies Pvt. Ltd, C-Net Communications India Pvt. Ltd, Smasher Communications Pvt. Ltd (Bangalore-based), Velankani Electronics Pvt. Ltd, Exza Info system, ABS Productions Pvt. Ltd and Videocon (Aurangabad-based).

According to the agreement signed, developed iCAS will be made available to the operators at 0.5USD or less for a period of 3 years. Over 25,000 STBs with iCAS have already been distributed across the country during the month of December last till January this year.

Orange outage in Poland

Orange has suffered a massive outage in many parts of Poland.

As a result, report several local news outlets, many of its customers have been unable to make calls or access the internet.

Company spokesman Wojtek Jabczynski sent a tweet late afternoon on Thursday (July 7) apologising for the incident and saying that it was working to fix the issue as quickly as possible.

The outage began around 17.00 on July 7 and was most pronounced in Warsaw. However, it was also widely felt in a number of other locations including Katowice, Poznan, Szczecin and the tri-city of Gdansk, Gdynia and Sopot.

Orange is the incumbent telco in Poland and the country’s leading provider of IPTV services.

The outage was reportedly resolved at 02.00 local time on Friday, July 8.

VGTRK to restructure

The Russian public broadcaster VGTRK (RTR) plans to reorganise its information departments.

As a result, reports Kommersant, the Directorate of Information Programmes (DIP) of Rossiya 1 will be combined with the information service of Rossiya 24.

The joint directorate will be headed by Irina Filina, and Yevgney Revenko, the former head of DIP, will leave the state holding to pursue a career in politics with the United Russia party.

In effect, the move will see the abolition of DIP at Rossiya 1.

Arris announces warrant agreement with Comcast

Arris International has entered into a warrant agreement with Comcast Cable.

The warrants provide Comcast with the opportunity to acquire ordinary shares of Arris based on specific sales targets for 2016 and 2017.

Arris provides Comcast with a range of technologies for its video (including the X1 platform), high-speed data and voice services, wireless gateways supporting the delivery of Comcast’s fastest in-home WiFi service, and networking and other hardware equipment.

“Comcast continues to be a strong strategic partner for Arris” said Bob Stanzione, Arris chairman and CEO.

“We believe the warrants demonstrate Comcast’s strong commitment to Arris and its products and represent an opportunity for us to further grow our relationship.”

Kudelski Group acquires NexGuard Labs

The Kudelski Group has acquired 100% of NexGuard Labs BV (formerly Civolution BV), a compamny specialising in digital content watermarking solutions.

This move expands the Kudelski Group’s portfolio of end-to-end content protection security solutions, enriching the existing offer to content owners and pay-TV operators.

NexGuard Labs BV, based in the Netherlands with offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, Dubai and Rennes (France), is a provider of forensic watermarking technology and solutions for protecting media content against illicit redistribution. It offers a portfolio of industry-leading digital watermarking tools to help media content owners, rights holders and distributors protect and manage their assets. The portfolio consists of digital watermarking tools for Pre-Release, Digital Cinema, B2B and B2C distribution.

Civolution was formed in October 2008 as a spin-off of Royal Philips Electronics. In August 2008, Philips Content Identification, a business unit of Philips Electronics, assumed full ownership of its joint venture Teletrax. The combined entity was spun out of Philips in October giving birth to Civolution.

In July 2009, Civolution took over the Software and Technology Solution from Thomson (Thomson STS), formerly Nextamp.

In December 2014, WPP’s Kantar Media acquired Civolution’s SyncNow audio watermarking unit supporting Audience Measurement and Second Screen synchronization applications.

Following the Kantar Media acquisition, Civolution announced the launch of two separate business units, NexGuard and Teletrax. NexGuard is the world leader in watermarking technology and solutions for protecting media content against illicit redistribution.

André Kudelski, chairman and CEO, Kudelski Group said: “the acquisition of NexGuard further strengthens our content protection offering and represents a key milestone in executing our growth strategy in security.”