.
Azam
Media
scales
up
capacity
with
Eutelsat
to
expand
African
Pay
Tv
Offer
10
March
2015
Azam
Media,
owned
by
Tanzanian
conglomerate
Bakhresa
Group,
is
ramping
up
satellite
capacity
through
a
new
transponder
leased
on
the
powerful
EUTELSAT
7B
satellite.
Complementing
capacity
used
on
the
copositioned
EUTELSAT
7A
satellite,
it
will
host
new
services
for
the
rapidly
growing
AzamTV
pay-TV
platform.
The
contract
was
announced
today
at
Cabsat
Dubai.
Launched
just
18
months
ago,
AzamTV
already
counts
200,000
subscribers
in
Tanzania,
Uganda
and
Kenya.
The
new
capacity
will
enable
AzamTV
to
extend
its
services
to
Rwanda,
Burundi,
Zambia,
Malawi,
South
Sudan
and
Zimbabwe
with
additional
content.
Further
expansion
is
planned
using
the
company’s
state-of-the-art
studio
complex
and
headend
facility
in
Dar
es
Salaam
that
was
inaugurated
on 6
March
by
Jakaya
Kikwete,
the
President
of
Tanzania.
Rhys
Torrington,
CEO
of
Azam
Media,
commented
on
the
new
contract:
“Eutelsat’s
satellite
capacity
and
unrivalled
DTH
experience
enabled
us
to
launch
an
exceptional
entertainment
offer
at a
great
price.
This
new
contract
equips
us
with
the
resources
to
fast
track
our
development
and
further
enhance
the
services
we
offer
subscribers
across
our
target
markets.
It
also
paves
the
way
for
an
acceleration
of
HD
content
that
raises
the
bar
for
further
quality.”
Michel
Azibert,
Chief
Commercial
and
Development
Officer
of
Eutelsat,
added:
“AzamTV
is
one
of
the
most
exciting
digital
broadcasting
ventures
launched
in
Africa
over
the
last
18
months.
Compelling
and
attractively
priced
content,
a
strong
retail
network
and
high-power
reach
over
Africa
are
the
assets
Azam
has
assembled
to
play
its
part
in
the
digital
broadcasting
wave.
We
are
delighted
to
be
their
chosen
satellite
partner
and
to
see
our
7°
East
position,
occupied
by
two
copositioned
satellites,
firmly
rooted
in
Africa’s
TV
landscape.”
