SuperSport clinches another major soccer deal - 12/12/2007
DStv’s SuperSport have just clinched another big soccer deal by acquiring 64 WC 2010 qualifying matches from South America exclusively for sub-Sahara Africa. According to a SuperSport report, this means all 71 remaining 2010 qualifiers will now be screened exclusive and live on SuperSport after Brazil’s nine home qualifying ties were signed up earlier this year. This follows the announcement that SuperSport has also signed up the exclusive deal for Euro 2008 for the region. More great news for soccer fans is that SuperSport has added the exclusive rights for the leading English Premier League club Arsenal ’s TV channel, which will be scheduled from next week.
SEACOM, and its supplier, Tyco Telecommunications, officially announced the commencement of construction of the 13 700 km SEA Cable System connecting the South and East African countries of SA, Mozambique, Madagascar, Kenya, and Tanzania with India and Egypt, according to a MyADSL.co.za report. ’The overwhelming demand for increased bandwidth in East and SA grows greater each day,’ explains Brian Herlihy, President, SEACOM. ’The SEA Cable System will be ready to serve Southern and East African markets from 2009, well in time to meet the bandwidth needs of the Confederations Cup and the 2010 WC, and the growing requirements of the economies in the countries it serves.’
SA’s challenge to provide communications and broadcasting solutions for the 2010 WC could be heightened by political division and wrangling. However, the chances of outright failure to meet its Fifa obligations are low, though there is a possibility ongoing divisions could slow the process and require an expensive last minute push, says Gartner analyst Will Hahn. ITWeb reports that he says international network equipment vendors working to get a slice of the 2010 market should understand the power of local political and cultural imperatives when entering an emerging market. This upcoming event in SA guarantees added urgency but will not clear the way for ’business as usual’, he notes.
Telecommunications parastatal Telkom officially became a ’national supporter’ of the 2010 WC. The Citizen reports that Telkom’s technology will provide the fixed-line telecommunications backbone for supporting the broadcast of the action, in the largest single sporting showpiece in the world with a cumulative audience of more than 26bn. This was formalised following a signing ceremony between Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke and Telkom’s acting CE Reuben September in Johannesburg. ’A huge volume of voice and data traffic will move over the Fifa event network during the Fifa Confederations Cup and the Fifa World Cup,’ Valcke said.
Council approves R300m for fibre optic network - 07/12/2007
The Council of the City of Cape Town has committed itself to a R300m investment in a fibre optic network. Belinda Walker, Mayoral Committee Member for Corporate Services and Human Resources, whose portfolio includes telecommunications, says: ’Cape Town is the first major city in SA to adopt such a plan. Whilst others have either built small networks for their own use, or are planning to offer telecommunications services themselves, Cape Town will build the basic infrastructure, and then invite telecommunications companies to use it to offer services to the public. In this way the private sector will be involved in running the network, whist the City will keep control of the asset so that it cannot be monopolised.’ The project is also aligned with the telecommunication requirements for the 2010 WC.
Telkom’s roll-out of its R30bn next-generation network (NGN) is ’progressing well’, preparing the fixed-line operator to offer converged services. ITWeb reports that these will include subsidiary Telkom Media’s Internet-based TV, which launches in mid-2008. Telkom CE Reuben September notes that Telkom’s infrastructure building process is progressing well to adequately meet the demands of bandwidth-hungry applications. This is particularly important, he stresses, as Telkom is a key partner in delivering the 2010 WC to the global community.
The residents of Diepsloot are about to receive an early Christmas present - a huge outdoor plasma screen. The Times reports that the screen is a gift from Joburg City Parks and satellite network DStv, which is launching community entertainment channel Township TV. Jenny Moodley, Joburg City Parks spokesperson, said City Parks expects the screen to be especially popular during the 2010 WC, where the township’s residents will be able to meet and watch their favourite teams on the screen.
EASSy project construction gets under way - 02/12/2007
The construction of the $235m East African Submarine Cable System (EASSy) project will begin this month following the approval of initial funding by the African Development Bank (AfDB). The East African Standard reports that Eric Chinje, AfDB’s head of external relations and communications said the cable was expected to transform the telecommunications landscape in the region as it improves access for 250m Africans and substantially reduces costs for consumers and businesses. ’The EASSy cable is expected to be fully operational in time for the 2010 WC,’ he said.
TV revenue continues to boom - 29/11/2007
The sale of television rights worldwide is likely to continue to generate booming revenues for soccer clubs and controlling bodies. Th Star notes that the increasing number of television broadcasters and the emergence of other media platforms, like mobile technology and the Internet, present a rosy outlook for organisations like Fifa, Uefa and the English Premier League, whose products enjoy worldwide popularity. England’s Premier League recently concluded sales of their TV rights worldwide for a three-year cycle, starting this season, which generated income of £2.3bn.
The era of convergence is about to hit SA as consumer electronics and IT devices come together to make sophisticated new entertainment systems easy to manage and deploy. Bizcommunity.com reports that high-definition television (HDTV) is already a reality and SA viewers will soon be able to watch specially-filmed high-definition content as well. Certainly, by the time the WC rolls by in 2010, South Africans will be receiving high-definition content on their HDTVs.
Vodacom to trim R7bn programme - 20/11/2007
Vodacom plans to scale back its R7bn programme to build a fixed-line network, provided Telkom speeds up its network infrastructure upgrade. In June Vodacom said it planned a nationwide roll-out of a fixed-line network to reduce backlogs, cut costs it was paying to Telkom for the lines, and sell spare capacity to the corporate market. According to a MyADSL.co.za report, Telkom acting CE Reuben September described the data market as the ’next wave"’ of growth. He said Telkom’s infrastructure building process was progressing ’well to adequately meet the demands of bandwidth-hungry applications’, especially as Telkom was a key partner in delivering the 2010 WC to the global community.
Increased competition, operating expenditure and reducing cost of telecommunications impact on Telkom’s Headline Earnings Announcing the Telkom Group interim results for the six months ended September 30, 2007, acting CE Reuben September said that headline earnings per share declined by 15.1% despite group operating revenue increasing by 8.3%. According to a MyADSL.co.za report, he stated that Telkom’s infrastructure building process was progressing well to adequately meet the demands of bandwidth hungry applications. This was particularly important, stressed September, as Telkom is a key partner in delivering the 2010 WC to the global community. ’Our ability to do so seamlessly is dependent on the investment in our network.’
Interactive TV demand surges ahead of 2010 - 12/11/2007
Recent forecasts from independent market research firms confirm Ericsson’s own data and prediction that IPTV the delivery of personalised, interactive TV channels and ’shows’ using the same communications technologies as the Internet is taking off globally and that the number of IPTV subscribers is likely to grow substantially in the near future. ’Today, there are about 7m IPTV subscribers worldwide,’ said Ron Westfall, Research Director for market intelligence firm Current Analysis, ’and I don’t think 60m by the year 2010 is a far fetched projection.’ According to a MyDigitalLife.co.za report, this is in line with recent forecasts from international market research firms Parks Associates and the Multimedia Research Group, which both suggest that the global number of IPTV subscribers will pass the 60m mark by the end of 2011.
Profits set to soar in run-up to 2010 - 09/11/2007
Television reception equipment manufacturer and distributor Ellies Holdings said expected to benefit from technological changes to television broadcasting in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup. Business Day reports that the company reported revenue of R222,8m in the half-year to August, 7,14% higher than its forecast of R208m. Net profit, at R17m, was 12,82% higher than the forecast R15m, it said. CE Wayne Samson said the company expected increased demand as new technology was being rolled out in advance of the World Cup.
SA lacks 2010 broadcasting technical talent - 04/11/2007
SA will not be able to train enough skilled broadcast industry talent fast enough to meet the demands of the World Cup in 2010, say players in the industry. And not only is SA likely to miss at least some of the opportunity to present itself to the world, but a large slice of the job-creation potential will be lost because there will not be enough technically trained South Africans available to take up the of jobs on offer. The South African film and broadcast industry is struggling now, and even before the World Cup spotlight turns on SA after the Olympics end in Beijing in September next year, this struggle for skills is set to intensify — four new TV pay stations are set to air in SA within the next two years, news channel CNBC has opened an Africa office in Johannesburg and poaching is already rife, says Angela van Schalkwyk, editor of industry magazine Screen Africa.
As the 2010 World Cup draws inexorably nearer, SA again is presented with an opportunity to demonstrate its ability to host a world-class sporting event. ITWeb reports that building on the proven and recognised successes of the 1995 Rugby World Cup and the 2003 Cricket World Cup, the country has established its capability to successfully stage premier international sports spectaculars. However, as the biggest live event in the world, the Fifa World Cup brings with it new challenges of scale which must also be handled in the context of emerging technologies for broadcasting. According to Andy Brauer, CTO of Business Connexion, the country’s premier provider of information and communication technology solutions, the sheer enormity of the event which is the World Cup is the basis for the intense media interest in SA’s ability to handle the tournament. ’2010 is an opportunity for SA to win. It is a unique chance to show more people in the world than ever before who we are, what we are and what we are capable of,’ says Brauer.
Sentech is on track to meet its deadlines for the roll-out of South Africa’s Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) - but the project could still go off-course if all players don’t reach an agreement on set-top boxes. A multi-party, multi-factor engagement can lead to market confusion regarding the responsibilities of various players in the process, says Frans Lindeque, Executive Digital Services at Sentech. Regarding the digital switch-on, the first phase will cover the country’s main metropolitan areas while the second phase will ensure coverage of 80% of the population by 2010, enabling people to view the 2010 World Cup games in digital format. The success of the digital migration process is also based on financial commitment by government, says Lindeque.
2010 under spotlight at Cape Film Imbizo - 28/10/2007
The 2010 World Cup will come under the spotlight at the Cape Film Imbizo 2007 from 6-9 November. Delegates will discuss opportunities within the 2010 World Cup for local filmmakers especially on key areas like service and content development. Dr Marcia Socikwa from Icasa will also lead a key discussion on the various issues related to the four newly licensed broadcasters, what impact will they have on the state of competition in the broadcasting industry, issues of broader accessibility for the masses, regulations on the commissioning of Local Content and broadcasting opportunities around the tournament.
The world-class international broadcasting centre (IBC) planned for Nasrec will be one of the defining features that will make South Africa’s World Cup a truly global event. It is expected that almost four billion spectators will rely on this technology to see the games in 2010. Planning for the IBC started in July, when the cabinet approved Johannesburg’s bid to host the international centre. And the City’s 2010 project office reported on progress on the IBC during an ordinary mayoral committee meeting on 18 October. The City of Johannesburg is finalising the lease agreement for the IBC with Fifa, the international football governing body, confirmed Sibongile Mazibuko, the City’s 2010 executive director. ’We are waiting for the final Fifa green light. The Cabinet has given us its blessing.’
Major technology leap for Kenya- 25/10/2007
Mobile phone owners are set to have a new addition to their menu following the launch by a digital broadcaster of a service that will stream television content to their handsets. The Business Daily reports that the service could see up to 11m mobile phone subscribers access television content on their phones leapfrogging Kenya into the cutting edge technological era where the TV and the phone have converged. Kenya is among a handful of countries that MultiChoice has picked for trials of the new technology known as DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting - Handheld). SA has been keen to commercialize the technology ahead of its 2010 hosting of the World Cup, hoping to increase broadcast revenues from a myriad of channels. ’It is my expectation that by 2010 every South African will have access to telecommunications; will have access to high speed broadband data; will have access to television on their phones,’ said Alan Knott-Craig, CE of Vodacom.
The Southern African Broadcasting Association (SABA), an association of state-run broadcasters in the region, has identified the 2010 World Cup to be held in South Africa, as one of its focal points for the years running up to the global event. According to a New Era report, Advocate Dali Mpofu, President of SABA and Group CEO of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), said a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed to ensure continental broadcasting enhancement during the World Cup. State broadcasters gathered in Windhoek to commence a three-day annual general meeting – its 15th this year – to discuss public broadcasting and regional integration.
In a bid to provide telecommunication and broadcasting technology for the 2010 World Cup, Maredi Telecom & Broadcasting has partnered with Media Links, a Japanese-based provider of high-definition (HD) video transport solutions. According to the agreement, Maredi will supply Media Links’ entire product portfolio, which it hopes it can market to SA’s newly-licensed pay-TV service providers, as well as existing players. ’We started discussions with Media Links when SA was awarded the Soccer World Cup. We knew that broadcasters and telecoms companies would be looking at new technologies for the event,’ says Lance Manala, chairman of Maredi Telecom & Broadcasting. ITWeb reports that he says Media Links has extensive experience in the events environment, with both the 2006 World Cup, in Germany, and the 2006 Doha Asian Games on its resume. The company is now in a good position to provide innovative technology and communications infrastructure to broadcasters, Manala states. According to the company, the agreement will be worth several million rand in capital expenditure, while commercial and emerging broadcasters prepare for 2010 over the next two years.
Growth opportunities in telephony market - 06/10/2007
Investments by government and government-aided organisations, contact centre service providers and the primary sector are stimulating growth in the African business telephony market. In particular, multinational aid and international loans have helped governments finance secondary and tertiary sectors in the continent, creating a market for business telephony. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan finds that the African business telephony market earned revenues of €158.3m in 2005 and expects this to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12.3% to reach €345.3m in 2012. According to a CBR report, economic progress in certain countries due to a favourable petroleum and commodities market has helped the continent’s GDP to grow at an average of 5.7% in 2006, as reported by the UN’s economic commission for Africa. The African business telephony market will continue to expand with several opportunities arising from the 2010 World Cup.
Two of Africa’s leading pay-Tv companies Gateway broadcasting’s GTV and DSTV’s Super Sport have shown keen interest in sponsoring this year’s Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup that is slated for November in the North of Tanzanian town Arusha. Cecafa’s Secretary General Nicholas Musonye confirmed to Times Sports from Nairobi that the tournament’s long-term bankroller, Ethiopian Tycoon Sheikh Al Amoudi Mohammed’s contract had expired. ’The good news is that GTV and Supersport have shown interest in sponsoring the regional event but we are yet to decide who will take the tournament’s full sponsorship rights,’ Musonye said. ’We need some time to negotiate with both companies such that we can come up with a strong and cooperative company who will steer the region’s soccer standards to the new heights as we head to 2010 World Cup,’ he further added. The New Times reports that Ugandan football fans will soon enjoy live local football league matches on television following a landmark deal between Gateway Television Broadcasting and the Federation of Uganda Football Association.
The 2010 LOC is seeking possible legislative changes to allow 2010 World Cup communications to run smoothly. ITWeb reports that according to LOC IT director Zakes Mnisi, the body is investigating using terrestrial trunked radio (Tetra) technology to link up thousands of LOC and Fifa employees, as well as metro services and stadium personnel, for the sporting event. ’At this stage, Tetra is used by the police – we don’t think it has been cleared for use beyond that. So we will have to talk to ICASA (the Independent Communications Authority of SA) and check: are we crossing boundaries?’ says Mnisi. According to Mnisi, the LOC will call on ICASA to make legislative changes if need be in order for 2010 staff to use Tetra.
A potential Telkom-Vodacom-MTN deal could hold unexpected benefits for 2010, says Zakes Mnisi, the 2010 World Cup LOC’s IT director. ’It will play in favour of 2010’ for wireless service providers to invest in fixed-line infrastructure and the potential Telkom sale of its fixed-line assets could provide MTN with just such an opportunity, he says. ITWeb reports that following recent cautionary notices issued by Telkom and Vodacom (in which Telkom has a 50% stake), it was speculated that Telkom is not only looking to shed its Vodacom share, but that it might be offering its fixed-line assets to cellular competitor MTN. Both mobile operators recently announced fixed-line strategies. Mnisi says that, while he has no inside knowledge of the Telkom deal, ’the broadband guys will need fixed-line’ for 2010.
Telkom will provide the fixed-line telecommunications backbone for broadcasting the 2010 World Cup - the largest single sporting showpiece in the world with a cumulative audience of more than 26bn. According to an EE Publishers report, this encompasses the provisioning of fixed-line telecommunications related products and services and, where applicable, the services of qualified personnel necessary for the planning, management, delivery, installation (and de-installation), operation, maintenance and satisfactory functioning of these products and services. In essence, Telkom will enable the interconnection of important event venues, including the 10 World Cup stadiums, broadcast compounds, media centres, the International Broadcast Centre and Fifa headquarter locations.
SA’s bandwidth needs in the spotlight - 19/09/2007
EASSy and SEACOM cables may be blocked from landing in SA which has raised concerns as to whether SA will have enough international bandwidth for 2010. According to a MyADSL.co.za report, the South African Minister of Communications, Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, recently announced that all cables landing in SA will have to be majority-owned by South African companies. Matsepe-Casaburri was adamant that ’SEACOM’s alliance with Neotel - which means Neotel would own the cable in the territorial waters - was not enough to satisfy the ownership criteria.’ In the event of these two cables being blocked from landing in SA, it leaves the country with two other systems which will have to supplement SAT3/SAFE for the 2010 World Cup’s international bandwidth needs.
Sentech will continue with its Vivid pay-TV service despite withdrawing from the pay-TV licensing procedures, saying that the new ECA entitles it to continue undisturbed. According to a MyADSL.co.za report, Sentech recently withdrew from the ICASA pay-TV licensing procedures, sparking rumors of financing difficulties and trying to save face. Sentech CE Sebiletso Mokone-Matabane says that their own satellite TV offering, namely Vivid, will continue undisturbed and that she is confident that the company currently has – and will under the new licensing regime – have the rights to offer pay-TV services. Sentech is directly involved in the broadcasting of the 2010 World Cup, and according to Mokone-Matabane everything is on track for Sentech to achieve its goals.
Telkom Media has been awarded a commercial satellite and cable broadcasting licence by ICASA, the industry regulator. The licence allows Telkom Media to operate both a satellite pay-TV service and an IPTV service in South Africa. ’We and our shareholders are absolutely delighted with this award. We welcome the finalisation of the conditions of the licence based on our proposal submitted to ICASA and look forward to providing inspiring, dynamic and refreshingly different programming for our subscribers,’ said CEO Mandla Ngcobo. According to a MyADSL.co.za report, Rikus Matthyser, Telkom Media’s Chief Strategist – says that Telkom Media will partner with any company which can provide them with suitable network infrastructure to ensure high quality services to consumers. Matthyser said that this may involve new network infrastructure players like Vodacom, MTN, Neotel or InfraCo. Matthyser further points out that the company is building a High Definition TV network (HDTV), and that Telkom Media will definitely look at bringing HDTV content – which may include the 2010 World Cup - to consumers.
