Broadcasting Innovations | Ivory Coast Accelerates Digital Migration with SES

Ivory Coast’s public broadcasting company, the Société Ivoirienne de Télédiffusion has selected SES as its digital partner in a major move to meet the country’s 2020 deadline for switching over from analogue to digital broadcasting.

Under this multi-year agreement, 60 analogue turned digital channels will be broadcast with brighter, sharper picture and better sound, via the SES-4 satellite at 22 degrees West.

SES will be using the comprehensive coverage of SES-4 to ensure high service availability of bandwidth and to broadcast all channels via the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) infrastructure across Ivory Coast. These digital channels will then be available to all Ivorian television (TV) viewers who have a digital set-top box or an integrated digital TV with a built-in DTT decoder.

In addition to using SES-4 to accelerate the digital switchover, the capacity leased on SES-4 for digital broadcasting will also be used to broadcast Radiodiffusion Télévision Ivoirienne (RTI), the state's public TV network, to fulfill its public service mission of providing local news and information to Ivorians.

“SES has provided us with an innovative solution to ensure deployment of digital TV by broadcasting multiplexes across the country. This is an important milestone as we are now one step closer to ending analogue service,” said Yeo Adama, General Manager of the SIDT. “We are excited to work with SES, which has both the technical capabilities and the practical experience required to support our ambitious projects, including the implementation of new broadcasting standards.”

“The move from analogue to digital broadcasting can be complex, and we are fully committed to making this as hassle-free as possible for the SIDT in Ivory Coast. Our satellite will provide the reliability to broadcast high-picture-quality TV services to Ivorians, while our teams are well-positioned to deliver the technical services and innovative solutions required to facilitate a successful digital migration for Ivory Coast,” said Clint Brown, Vice President of Sales and Market Development for SES Video in Africa.