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Kenya: Press Releases: GOtv Launch New Pay TV Service |
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Wednesday, 14 September 2011 |
Nairobi, 13 September 2011 --- A new Digital Terrestrial Television service, GOtv, has been launched today in Nairobi and its environs. This launch represents one of the most advanced digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcast system and infrastructure established in Africa and the rest of the world to date and leapfrogs the outdated T1 systems which were utilized by first movers in the digital migration. This puts Kenya at the forefront of the digital migration process.
Kenyans are now set to benefit from easy access to an increased number of channels, with enhanced picture and sound quality synonymous with digital television at a price they can afford. GOtv is on a DVB-T2 technology standard which allows for up to 20 channels per frequency, in contrast to DVB-T1 technology which only allows for 12 channels per frequency. Thus, there is a dramatic improvement on the dividend of terrestrial frequencies available to countries when DVB-T2 is deployed. Speaking during the launch, Minister of Information and Communications, Hon. Samuel Poghisio, noted that the launch of GOtv coincides with the government’s target of migrating from analogue to digital TV transmission by 2012.
“The digital migration process is in line with a commitment made by governments around the world, in 2006, at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) conference to shift from analogue to digital broadcasting by 2015. This move is expected to free up much-needed spectrum, which the government plans to re-use for other purposes,” said Poghisio.
He also added that the launch of GOtv will play a pivotal role towards contributing to this technological transformation and in the process will help the country to achieve its set target towards the migration to digital TV transmission. The Manager of GOtv, Mr. Felix Kyengo, said that the new pay-TV service, which uses the latest DVB T2 technology, is a product of pay television innovation from MultiChoice and the KBC, to make available an affordable digital television product to all Kenyans.
“GOtv is uniquely placed to become the home of African television. We firmly believe that there is enough rich content created here on the continent to make a case for packaging great African entertainment and we have committed ourselves to making this a reality thus, offering channels made in Africa for Africa,” said Kyengo. He also added that GOtv will offer great family entertainment and viewers will be able to enjoy a fantastic selection of local and international channels at a very pocket friendly price. However, he noted that even though the GOtv broadcast footprint was expanding, its DVB-T2 technology will be launched in certain parts of Nairobi to begin with. Full coverage of GOtv will be available at the end of the year, so clients need to confirm the current availability of the signal at their premises before purchase of the equipment.
Some of the channels that will be available to GOtv subscribers include Africa Magic+, Africa Magic Swahili, One Gospel, E! Entertainment, Channel O, eTV Africa, Magic World, KBC, NTV, KTN and Citizen TV. GOtv will deliver digital television for everyone and enables Kenyans to experience the digital television revolution in their own home. The GOtv service will go live in Nairobi on Wednesday, 14 September 2011.
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