Eutelsat Communications announced that it has sealed a three-year contract with
the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) for capacity in Ku-band on the
Eutelsat 3B satellite. The capacity will be used to deliver 12 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 the 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 the first
quarter of 2016. The project is managed by BAZ which works 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’s homes. Huawei will
also uplink the digital multiplex from BAZ’s teleport facilities in Harare to the
Eutelsat 3B satellite.
Obert Muganyura, Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe’s chief executive officer,
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 anddevelopment 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 movement to digital.’
