Africa’s pioneering pay TV service provider, MultiChoice Africa is signing a multi-year contract with satellite operator, Eutelsat (News - Alert) Communications, to upgrade the offer of its DStv pay-TV service.

The company plans to activate an additional transponder on the EUTELSAT 36A satellite, beginning March 2013, while a second one will be activated from May 2013. This makes MultiChoice leasing a total of 22 transponders at EUTELSAT 36 degree East video neighborhood.

This additional capacity provided by MultiChoice will further reinforce the content delivered to Africa via its groundbreaking Direct-to-Home platform. DStv was launched in 2000, from Eutelsat 36 degree East neighborhood, delivering the opportunity to watch television in 50 countries across the Sub-Saharan Africa. It offers a dynamic and scalable technology platform, and a wide spectrum of bouquets that are essentially built around premium films, compelling news, sports channels, and documentaries.

With DStv, MultiChoice provides a wide range of information and entertainment, offering a suite of bouquets that accommodate their preferences and budget. DStv Premium provides the widest and best array of information and entertainment channels. DStv Compact offers a suitable package with popular information and entertainment channels, which include DStv radio channels and national free-to-air channels. DStv Select provides access to one of the best bouquets at a reasonable monthly subscription. DStv Lite offers the viewers ample value and choice at affordable prices, with news, commerce, movies and entertainment, culture and lifestyle.

In addition, DStv also offers bouquets in the name of DStv EasyView, DStv Indian, and DStv Portuguesa, which offers the best television experience to the subscribers and that too at affordable prices. With the aim of popularizing DStv platform, MultiChoice Africa is planning to expand the EUTELSAT 36A satellite, boosting its reach and capabilities in the most impressive manner. With this view, MultiChoice entered into a fresh set of contracts with Eutelsat Communications, promoting its deal for accessing and expanding EUTELSAT 36A for development of DStv platform.

With regard to this move, the chief executive officer of MultiChoice Africa, Nico Meyer, stated that the company’s mission was to offer cutting edge technology solutions that will enable the subscribers of DStv to experience the best home television viewing. The company’s partnership with Eutelsat has enabled them to expand their services in DStv platform by launching new channels. DStv remains to be of the best quality, consistently providing exciting and fresh programming that promotes television viewing experience of the subscribers.

Jean-Francois Leprince-Ringuet, chief commercial offer, Eutelsat, said this new step taken by MultiChoice Africa with strengthen the collaboration with the company, which stands as a hallmark for creative and quality digital TV services in Africa. It will continue to update fresh programming ideas, meeting the customer expectations impressively, added Ringuet.

Launching its first digital satellite service in the year 1980, MultiChoice Africa is the pioneering pay-TV service provider in Africa. It offers a wide suite of DStv bouquets, serving 50 African countries and adjacent islands in Indian Ocean.