1- ASO in Africa is planned in 2015…
The African market has always been one of the top regional targets for NEOTION. We’ve been working with many local players so far and we never underestimated its true potential. The move toward full digitization in 2015 is a real opportunity for our core business. With a real background on digitization transition across extended Europe, we attempt to use this experience to support digital TV players and still develop partnership with TV makers specifically in the region.
Figures are quite attractive for the coming years with a digital penetration which will exceed 50% of the TV households in 2015 and will reach 95.5% in 2020 (with a total of 49 million of digital TV HH). According to the 4th edition of Digital TV Research report, pay-tv revenues will reach $ 6.22 billion in 2020 up from $ 3.54 billion in 2014 with for half-part a main contribution from South Africa and Nigeria among the 34 countries covered.
The main African TV homes reception modes are DTT (+ 100M) and Satellite (+62M) where fixed infrastructures such as cable is a minority (1M). Satellite is playing a key role in digitization of emerging markets, boosted by increased media contents (500 TV channels in 2008 expected to grow to 3000 TV channels in 2023). Satellite accounts for the main pay-Tv revenues (92% in 2014) where DTT is taking-off with new competition and the multiplication of cheaper DTT packages.
Digitization will in any case boost equipment renewal or acquisition but one of the challenges for pay-tv operators is to found out the suitable and cost-effective solution. NEOTION secure solutions are designed to match with high-level security requirements (broadcast content protection first) while offering the best for TV viewers (rich and simple TV experience too).
2- The CI Plus CAM, a dedicated device for the African Digital TV Market.
The NEOTION CI Plus Conditional Access Module (CAM) range is specifically developed to work whatever the reception mode is: satellite, terrestrial or cable. Our in-house secure chipset ensures the latest high-level security requirements implementation from the Conditional Access (CA) vendors where anti-piracy is a constant fight – even more in emerging markets - for any pay-TV operator delivering premium content.
Note that NEOTION already confirmed its strategic position in Africa over DTT reception mode with MultiChoice Africa. The offer has been welcomed by many “GOtv” subscribers across 9 sub-Saharan countries listing Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria and Zambia. The “GOtv Africa” TV viewers widely adopted the NEOTION CAM for its user-friendly interface while the operator MultiChoice Africa enlarges its portfolio (DTH and DTT offers).
When the satellite platform is a main part of pay-Tv revenues contribution, NEOTION allows the Satellite pay-TV operator to perform a full installation and customized channel listing of all its broadcast services using the CI Plus 1.3 Operator Resource in the CAM. NEOTION contribution in Africa in partnership with pay-Tv operators and TV manufacturers is not to be any more questioned!
3- Africa has been a key STB market but the Neotion CAM have his space… and soon the Neotion STB !
NEOTION is largely aware of STB competition within digital TV landscape – mainly the battle of the lowest price - but the NEOTION CAM has its place as a secure, cost-effective and ergonomic alternative solution to set-top-boxes. A CAM is able to work in a set-top-box too! And the main benefits of the CAM – small, smart and green – remain key values in Africa region: no additional cable, lower consumption, easy to install and easy to use.
Africa keeps growing and NEOTION is quite sure that the region will follow the European technological model. Indeed we trust the success of DVB-CI TV-sets arrival in Africa – looking at the data:
- More than 2.6 million DVB-CI and CI Plus TV-set will be shipped in Africa in 2015 – with an installed base of 10.2 million units,
- The shipment of CI Plus TV will almost double between 2015 and 2017,
- The installed base will grow by 50%.
NEOTION has always worked closely with TV makers and targets to reinforce its well established partnership beyond Europe in Africa. Key factor for main success stories across Europe passed by the bundle of a CI Plus iDTV and a CAM, ensuring pay-Tv operators to keep control over content usage and deployment with labeled TV platform. NEOTION is really the partner to merge both pay-Tv operators and TV manufacturer’s requirements to deliver the suitable solution to African TV viewers. And end of 2015, beginning of 2016, Neotion will be able to propose a complete range of STB in complement of our CAM range for Tv Operators seeking for booth devices, to address their markets, with different level of offers, adapted to every TV set, with or without a CI interface !
4- The needs of the African Consumer could be covered by some Neotion new innovative solutions: HbbTv, OTT and Neohome
Value-Added-Services are not limited to new technical services but are also in Quality of Service (QoS), relationship, sales support and customization… NEOTION motto is to first understand market needs through its partners, partners’ customers and standards evolution, cooperating with its customers to deliver the joint suitable and personalized solution to end-users.
NEOTION, as a member of HbbTV consortium, is closely following its potential in Africa region even if OTT matter is at its early stage: few trials initiated in South Africa and the HbbTV standard still under evaluation elsewhere in the region. However, according to Httv and TeVolution, at Africa COM - November 2014: “the analog switch off in Africa comes at a time where OTT can be more easily implemented… Africa is the first continent where OTT will become the main distribution standard for On Demand contents and thematic channels”. NEOTION is able to provide African pay-Tv operators a solution combining connected iDTV and CI Plus 1.3 HbbTV CAM to merge broadcast and broadband content in a secure single device.
Meanwhile, NEOTION is focusing on an innovative gateway solution with home automation capability and a wide range of home automation devices under its new 'Neohome' brand. This solution will enable operators and broadcasters to combine broadcast content (linear and Pay-TV), broadband services (OTT) with home automation features and evolve to a full Smart Home solution which will also securely enable the distribution of video and audio in a multi-screen and multi-room environment.
Please note that Neotion will exhibit at TV Connect Africa,
Stand TV4 with some live demos
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