Zenterio and Vestel partner on Africa-targeted DVB-T2 STB

Consumer electronics provider Vestel and Swedish operating system platform maker Zenterio are partnering on a DVB-T2 set-top box that it is launching commercially in Uganda and Rwanda.

The move comes ahead of a planned analogue terrestrial switch-off for much of Africa by June 2015, with DVB-T2, a system used to carry HDTV signals on terrestrial TV channels, expected to be important to this transition.

The set-top will let viewers watch dozens of free-to-air digital channels and supports a high-quality HD picture.

The companies said they will work with local partners SysCorp and TACT to analyse 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.

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

Zenterio CEO Samuel Lindstedt told DTVE: “Putting the Zenterio Operating System into this new retail DVB-T2 set-top box in Africa, specifically Rwanda and Uganda, shows the unparalleled flexibility and performance of our software and is proof that we can implement this technology for other emerging markets around the world.”