Zenterio and Vestel Partner to Deliver DVB-T2 STB for African Market

STOCKHOLM, January 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

For the digital switchover in Africa, Zenterio and Vestel together with local partners SysCorp and TACT bring a DVB-T2 STB to the retail market in Uganda and Rwanda

Zenterio, provider of the independent operating system platform for interactive TV, and Vestel, a leading consumer electronics provider, today announced they are providing a DVB-T2 STB for commercial availability in Uganda and Rwanda. The first order for the new DVB-T2 compliant STB is set to launch in December 2013.

Digital Video Broadcasting - Second Generation Terrestrial (DVB-T2) is the system best used to carry HDTV signals on terrestrial TV channels. The earliest adopters of DVB-T2 have been tied to the launch of HDTV. There are more than 23 countries using DVB-T2 in the world. Most countries in Africa will switch off the analog terrestrial distribution network by June 2015 and DVB-T2 will be instrumental in this transition.

The new DVB-T2 STB will allow viewers to watch dozens of TV channels in digital quality, free to air with no extra fees. Zenterio's DVB-T2 box supports a high-quality HD picture and has one of the fastest User Interfaces (UI) based on the Zenterio Operating System (OS) and the latest hardware technology available in the market today.

Together, Zenterio and Vestel, along with two local partners SysCorp and TACT, will analyze customer expectations and offer future services if they fit market demands, such as DVB-T2 hybrid with additional interactive services such as Video-on-Demand or Catch-Up TV.

"The race is on to deliver what Zenterio believes is the next step in the distribution of television in Africa - Digital Terrestrial TV. Africa is a key region for DTTV and the transition from analog to digital will happen very quickly," says Jan Macku, Business Development Director, Zenterio. "Zenterio is poised to provide our solution to every country that's migrating to digital now or is about to start that transition."

"We continue to look to the future in these markets and will also provide a Conditional Access System (CAS) cardless solution for encrypted channels on the current deployed boxes. This new solution will bring significant savings for TV broadcasters and customers compared to the traditional way of providing CAS," adds Macku.

"Africa is an important market for Vestel and we are happy to begin set-top box sales into this market," says Hakan Kutlu, Deputy General Manager, Vestel Trade. "We are aiming to expand DVB-T2 STB sales into other African countries in the coming years."

Zenterio was recently named one of Sweden's hottest IT companies by Computer Sweden.

About Zenterio

Zenterio develops an independent software platform, Zenterio OS, for interactive TV that is positioned to become a global standard. Zenterio's software can be used on any new and existing hardware. With Zenterio OS, operators can quickly and cost-effectively provide new interactive services and applications. Zenterio partners with global system integrators, set-top box suppliers, CA/DRM providers, and chipset manufacturers. The company evolved from the former Nokia Home Communication, which Nokia divested in 2002. Its headquarters are in Stockholm and its R&D center is in Linköping, Sweden. The company has sales offices in Prague and Milan. Zenterio is an unlisted company and is mainly owned by private investors. The chairman of the board is former Nokia CEO Mr. Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo.   

For further information please visit: http://www.zenterio.com

About Vestel

Vestel Group is comprised of 27 companies operating in manufacturing, technology development, marketing, and distribution fields in the consumer electronics, mobile technologies, LED lighting, and household appliances. With € 5 billion turnover, Vestel is one of the largest TV manufacturers in Europe.

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