Pay TV services launches in Africa

Pay TV operator StrongMedia SAL-Off-Shore (SMO) is launching a range of English, French and Arabic-speaking television services over sub-Saharan Africa.

SMO, which is also a satellite TV reception equipment provider, plans to launch two new services. These are Ma TELE, targeted at French-speaking countries, and Shashatee, a new Arabic-language pay TV service, launching in April, joining the established My TV service that has been resized and rebranded as My TV Smart.

Ma TELE will initially target subscribers in Côte d’Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of Congo with an offer of close to 30 channels, including its own flagship Africa-specific channels and AB Sat’s BIS Africa service. It will also air a line-up of free-to-air channels.

Strong owns distribution, technical support and after-sales services in a number of sub-Saharan Africa countries, which it will use to promote and sell the TV services.