Ivory Coast’s public broadcasting company, the Société Ivoirienne de
Télédiffusion (SIDT), has selected SES as its digital partner in a major
move to meet the country’s 2020 deadline for switching over from
analogue to digital broadcasting. Under this multi-year agreement, 60
analogue turned digital channels will be broadcast with brighter,
sharper picture and better sound, via the SES-4 satellite at 22 degrees
West.
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Ivory Coast Accelerates Digital Migration with SES (Photo: Business Wire)
SES will be using the comprehensive coverage of SES-4 to ensure high
service availability of bandwidth and to broadcast all channels via the
Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) infrastructure across Ivory Coast.
These digital channels will then be available to all Ivorian television
(TV) viewers who have a digital set-top box or an integrated digital TV
with a built-in DTT decoder.
In addition to using SES-4 to accelerate the digital switchover, the
capacity leased on SES-4 for digital broadcasting will also be used to
broadcast Radiodiffusion Télévision Ivoirienne (RTI), the state’s public
TV network, to fulfill its public service mission of providing local
news and information to Ivorians.
“SES has provided us with an innovative solution to ensure deployment of
digital TV by broadcasting multiplexes across the country. This is an
important milestone as we are now one step closer to ending analogue
service,” said Yeo Adama, General Manager of the SIDT. “We are excited
to work with SES, which has both the technical capabilities and the
practical experience required to support our ambitious projects,
including the implementation of new broadcasting standards.”
“The move from analogue to digital broadcasting can be complex, and we
are fully committed to making this as hassle-free as possible for the
SIDT in Ivory Coast. Our satellite will provide the reliability to
broadcast high-picture-quality TV services to Ivorians, while our teams
are well-positioned to deliver the technical services and innovative
solutions required to facilitate a successful digital migration for
Ivory Coast,” said Clint Brown, Vice President of Sales and Market
Development for SES Video in Africa.
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About SES
SES is the world’s leading satellite operator with over 70 satellites in
two different orbits, Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and Medium Earth Orbit
(MEO). It provides a diverse range of customers with global video
distribution and data connectivity services through two business units:
SES Video and SES Networks. SES Video reaches over 355 million TV homes,
through Direct-to-Home (DTH) platforms and cable, terrestrial, and IPTV
networks globally. The SES Video portfolio includes MX1, a leading media
service provider offering a full suite of innovative services for both
linear and digital distribution, and the ASTRA satellite system, which
has the largest DTH television reach in Europe. SES Networks provides
global managed data services, connecting people in a variety of sectors
including telecommunications, maritime, aeronautical, and energy, as
well as governments and institutions across the world. The SES Networks
portfolio includes GovSat, a 50/50 public-private partnership between
SES and the Luxembourg government, and O3b, the only non-geostationary
system delivering fibre-like broadband services today.
Further information is available at: www.ses.com
About SIDT
Société Ivoirienne de Télédiffusion (SIDT) is a state company, created
by decree n° 2017-844 during the Council of Ministers on December 20,
2017. Its main purpose is to ensure the broadcasting of radio and
television programs on the national territory of Ivory Coast.
Its role as a broadcaster also gives it the following prerogatives:
Management of sound and television broadcasting centers installed on the
national territory; creation, operation, maintenance and extension of
digital terrestrial television broadcasting networks; management and
maintenance of the analogue television broadcasting network during the
simulcasting period; provision of multiplexing, transport and
broadcasting services for channels, TV packages, and public and private
radios; promotion of cooperation with international technical bodies,
coordinating with the institutions involved.
Further information is available at: www.sidt.ci
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