Burkina Faso taps Eutelsat for digital TV rollout

Société Burkinabè de Télédiffusion (SBT), the public agency deploying digital terrestrial channels across Burkina Faso, has agreed a deal with Eutelsat.

The multi-year satellite capacity agreement will help accelerate analogue switch-off in Burkina Faso, with capacity leased on Eutelsat 3B already delivering some 20 channels to 35 digital terrestrial transmitting towers in the country.

SBT general manager, Kadidia Savadogo, said that its objective is to “ensure DTT delivery to 98% of our territory by the end of 2017.”

“We are leveraging the unique footprint of the Eutelsat 3B satellite over our country to launch a broadcasting platform that will deliver as many TV channels as possible to Burkinabe households with enhanced audio and image quality,” said Savadogo.

Eutelsat deputy CEO and chief commercial and development officer, said: “With this agreement, Eutelsat is leveraging capacity on three of our satellites to contribute to Burkina Faso’s transition to a fully digital broadcasting environment.”

SBT has also partnered with public broadcaster RTB to expand the availability of its public service content – via Eutelsat 16A in Africa and Eutelsat 9B in Europe.