[Satnews] Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I) announces that Sentech, a leading broadcasting signal distributor in Africa, has extended its contract for multiple years—Sentech will continue to leverage Ku-band capacity on Intelsat 20 at 68.5 degrees East to cost-effectively expand and enhance their DTH and DTT services in Africa.

The Intelsat 20 satellite will provide Sentech with an expansive selection of nearly 500 channels, 31 of which are HD. Leveraging the strength of Intelsat’s leading video neighborhood, Sentech will maximize its efficiency as it distributes DTH as well as national DTT programming to South African viewers using a single, multiplexed transmission.

Artistic rendition of the Intelsat 20 satellite.

Intelsat currently provides proven DTT solutions in Africa, supported by advanced coding and modulation techniques that enable efficient use of bandwidth and improved reception quality, enabling African audiences to enjoy the benefits of digital television. Intelsat hosts video neighborhoods serving every continent. Supporting media applications such as cable distribution, DTH and DTT, Intelsat’s neighborhoods offer leading viewer penetration, maximizing the potential audience for content.

Executive Comment

“Sentech is committed to providing comprehensive digital delivery services to Africa and ensuring that our customers have access to high quality, reliable and differentiated content,” said Leago Takalani, Executive: Technology, Sentech. “As the rest of the continent continues the migration to DTT, the power of Intelsat 20 will enable us to efficiently deliver digital services to the largest number of viewers as well as expand our customer base. Most importantly, it will enable us to enhance our channel selection and deliver more affordable, entertaining programming to viewers across multiple channels throughout South Africa.”

“Intelsat 20 reaches more viewers in Africa than any other DTH platform, making it an ideal video neighborhood to support Sentech’s growing business needs,” said Rhys Morgan, Interim Sales Manager, Africa, Intelsat. “Our ability to support and deploy both DTH and DTT transmissions will enable Sentech to continue its customers’ seamless migration to DTT. It will also provide Sentech with a greater array of more affordable entertainment options to delight both existing and new customers.”