Advanced Television

Wananchi to start African DTH in July

May 24, 2011

Kenyan telecoms firm Wananchi Group plans to launch a pay satellite television service in July to rival South Africa-based Naspers’ DSTV across east Africa after getting new capital injection, its head has confirmed.

Liberty Global, one of the world’s largest cable companies, Oppenheimer Funds, and Sarona Asset Management, a Canadian-based emerging markets fund manager, are the new investors who injected $57.5 million into the firm.

Apart from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, Wananchi will also roll out the pay television service in seven other countries including Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi and Somalia.

The firm is already conducting a satellite transmission trial run.

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, DTH/Satellite