In developing markets where high quality and affordable broadband availability is limited, viewers are looking for alternative ways to obtain current entertaining and educational content.
While broadband and Internet service providers are looking to deliver media content via mobile devices and infrastructure in Africa, the truth is that they are not yet suited to handle and transport the sheer size and volume of media content that is needed by the population they are trying to serve.
One way, and quite often, the only way to do so is through push video-on-demand (VOD). In regions such as Africa, content is primarily delivered via satellite via Direct-to-Home (DTH) delivery.
This method is secure, highly reliable, of high quality and can extend to the most remote parts of the continent. Satellite solutions will help enable DTH providers in the region to further expand their service offerings and provide “Catch-up TV” to top-tier consumers and educators alike. From a business model perspective, Africa is predominately a pre-paid TV market.
Additional Push VOD content will enable DTH providers to generate additional revenue, maintain distribution costs and achieve a higher return from subscribers compared to linear subscription fees. By monetizing new and unique content without cannibalizing current business, DTH providers will be able to increase their Average Revenue Per User.
Importantly, broadcasters will be able to deliver critical educational push VOD content to the continent. For example, as the satellite operator with the ability to reach the largest number of viewers in Africa, Intelsat has worked closely with organizations such as Mindset to ‘push’ educational VOD content to schools and approximately three million homes throughout the continent.
Push VOD powered by satellite presents DTH providers with a way to further entertain the communities it serves, generate additional revenue streams and play an instrumental role in further enhancing the socioeconomic development of the regions in which they operate.
