Tele10 Rwanda to launch mobile TV offering

Rwandan media group Tele10 is to launch WatchAfrica, a new mobile TV offering in partnership with Net-M, a German NTT Docomo affiliate, France’s Mobibase and Germany’s Cyberroute.

Eugene Nyagahene, CEO, Tele10, told the AfricaCast stream at AfricaCom yesterday that the service would be launched in the next three months and that negotiations were under way with 3G and 4G operators, based on a revenue-sharing model.

The service will deliver a mix of 25 TV channels, video-on-demand and catch-up content.

Net-M will provide the service over its OTT platform. Mobibase will deliver premium content. The third partner, Cyberroute Germany, will provide marketing services. The service will include local advertising which can be tailored according to the cell over which the service is being delivered.

Local content will be key to driving the mobile TV business in Africa, said Nyagahene. He said he believed WatchAfrica could compete in the market alongside existing services such as iROKOtv and Buni TV.

Nyagahene said that Tele10’s strategy was to customise content for Africa, delivering a mix of local news, catch-up TV, edutainment, short movies and documentaries, event channels and “special content” such as Big Brother Africa and adult content.