DMTV enlarges commercial Mobile TV services in four African countries

Johannesburg, South Africa, Nokia Siemens Networks is providing mobile television provider DMTV with a state-of-the-art Digital Video Broadcasting Handheld (DVB-H) solution in Ghana, Kenya, Namibia and Nigeria. The system will allow operators across the region to provide an enhanced TV viewing experience on multiple devices, including the latest Nokia phones.

“This agreement opens a historic new chapter for entertainment and connectivity in Ghana, Kenya, Namibia and Nigeria. This pioneering partnership with Nokia Siemens Networks and Nokia will deliver a world-class mobile experience for our customers, providing support for different devices,” said DMTV CEO Francois Theron.

Aleksi Toikkanen, Head of Consulting and Systems Integration for DMTV at Nokia Siemens Networks said, “We are glad to support DMTV to be among the first to launch OMA BCast compliant mobile television broadcasts in Africa. With our open standard solution we help DMTV attract new customer groups with a state of the art Mobile TV service. We are excited with the prospect of DMTV becoming the largest DVB-H broadcaster in the continent. Knowing the specific market in Africa we foresee huge growth potential in connecting people via mobile television and the Internet.”

The solutions offered by Nokia Siemens Networks are based on the open DVB-H and OMA BCAST standards. They allow short implementation time as well as end-to-end capability, combining the equipment, services and devices to create a unique solution for Mobile TV service providers. The launch of “DStv mobile” in Ghana, Kenya, Namibia and Nigeria will provide a blueprint for other Mobile TV service launches in various African countries. DStv is a service from DMTV, Africa’s leading digital satellite television service, which has been distributed in Kenya exclusively by Safaricom since last year and which runs on the DVB-H and OMA BCAST mobile broadcasting technology.

“This is an exciting time for mobile convergence in Africa,” said Philip De-la-Vega, General Manager for Nokia Nigeria. “We are especially pleased that Nokia, working together with DMTV and the operators MTN, Safaricom and MTC, is able to offer consumers 12 months access to DStv mobile when they purchase a compatible DVB-H handset. This showcases the enormous advancements in handset technology, now enabling TV on the go for consumers. The service is currently available on Nokia N96 and N77, which both have an integrated DVB-H receiver. In addition users of Nokia N79, N85, N86, N97, E75 and Nokia 5800 XpressMusic devices can access DStv mobile by purchasing a Nokia Mobile TV Receiver SU-33W. We are also committed to increasing the range of supported devices especially ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.”

DVB-H is the most prominent and widely spread mobile broadcast technology. Designed specifically for mobile reception, this provides the basis for high quality mobile TV by making efficient use of bandwidth. Nokia Siemens Networks works with more than 30 operators worldwide on DVB-H implementations. Their commercial launches include Finland, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Netherland, Philippines and Switzerland.

About DMTV

DMTV is a subsidiary of the MultiChoice Africa Group. The business’ immediate primary mandate is to roll out DVB-H based mobile tv to Africa. As the leading pay tv provider in Africa, the business seeks to provide its customers and potential customers with an opportunity to access their favorite pay tv and local content on their mobile phones as they go about their day to day businesses outside of their homes and away from their tv sets.

About Nokia Siemens Networks

Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading global enabler of telecommunications services. With its focus on innovation and sustainability, the company provides a complete portfolio of mobile, fixed and converged network technology, as well as professional services including consultancy and systems integration, deployment, maintenance and managed services. It is one of the largest telecommunications hardware, software and professional services companies in the world. Operating in 150 countries, its headquarters are in Espoo, Finland.
www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com

Engage in conversation about Nokia Siemens Networks’ aim to reinvent the connected world at http://unite.nokiasiemensnetworks.com and talk about its news at http://blogs.nokiasiemensnetworks.com
Find out if your country is exploiting the full potential of connectivity at http://connectivityscorecard.org

About Nokia

Nokia is a pioneer in mobile telecommunications and the world’s leading maker of mobile devices. Today, we are connecting people in new and different ways - fusing advanced mobile technology with personalized services to enable people to stay close to what matters to them. We also provide comprehensive digital map information through NAVTEQ; and equipment, solutions and services for communications networks through Nokia Siemens Networks.