It turns out that Ireland’s Silicon and Software Systems (S3) has provided its EPG and media player software for the forthcoming MultiChoice DVB-H mobile TV service in South Africa, licensing its OnHandTV SDK.
MultiChoice has yet to obtain a license to deliver a DVB-H service and refuses to discuss its offering in too much detail until it knows it has permission to proceed, but it has an ongoing 2,000 person trial and is part of Naspers, already one of the largest satellite Pay TV services on the African continent operating in 47 countries with over 2 million subscribers.
The OnHandTV software can combine broadcast, multicast and unicast mobile TV content and supports scanning and tuning, playing audio or video, file downloading, fast channel change, service purchasing and subscription management. The software also supports favorites lists, searches, multiple languages and interactive services.
MultiChoice has already launched commercial DVB-H services in Namibia, Kenya and Nigeria in 2007, where it uses Rohde & Schwarz transmitters,
Samsung and Sagem handsets, a Thales IP Encapsulator and relies on Irdeto DRM (a sister company).
It is not clear whether or not the OnHandTV software will also be used in those existing services, but it seems likely. These are set in Lagos, Abuja, Nairobi and Windhoek where a pay TV model operates at a price of around $12.50 a month for unlimited viewing of 10 channels.
‘We are very proud to have been selected by MultiChoice to provide our expertise and software IP to enhance their entry into the interactive Mobile TV services arena. S3 is continuing to deliver on its strategy of enabling broadcast and mobile operators to transition from their existing services to converged interactive services across multiple platforms and we are extremely pleased to be adding such a prestigious company as MultiChoice to our client list,’ said Philip Brennan, Vice President Consumer Systems, S3.
Commenting on the announcement Linda Vermass, CEO of DStv Mobile, MultiChoice’s Mobile TV business unit, said ‘MultiChoice continues to operate at the forefront of technology and is focused on adding significant value for subscribers across Africa. The delivery of our premium content via the Mobile Broadcast TV platform offers an exciting challenge to us, as well as an enormous market opportunity.’