YOU MIGHT NOT NEED DSTV ANY MORE

World leading satellite operator SES and Samsung made a ground breaking announcement at the just concluded Samsung Africa Forum in Cape Town, South Africa.

The two companies will be furthering the continent’s quest to ‘go digital’ by introducing a new and technology leading LED television set that has an integrated free-to-air satellite receiver. This product, the Samsung LED TV Free Satellite, will however be distributed in predominantly West African countries first, including Nigeria, Cameroon and Senegal around August 2012.

The integrated satellite receiver will allow the consumer to receive free-to-air television channels without the need of purchasing a set top box, as Kenya also gears up for its own digital change-over by the year 2015.

Local companies such as Smart TV, which was owned by Swedish firm Next Generation Broadcasting and KBC, had already positioned themselves with set top box offers but following its exit from the market, satellite player DSTV has been left the lions share of premium television and satellite entertainment, with Zuku TV playing catch up.

“The Samsung LED TV Free Satellite is our contribution to the continent’s efforts to ‘go digital’, providing African consumers with greater choice and broadcasters with the opportunity to grow the region’s media industry,” says Dae Hee Kim, Regional Product Manager at Samsung Africa.

As a leader in the free-to-air market, SES delivers more than 60 channels to over 40 African countries. It will be interesting to see how this offering stirs the Kenyan broadcasting market if and when the LED TV Free Satellite hits Kenyan consumer shelves.