WatchAfrica has partnered with payment solutions company net-m to launch an IPTV and VoD service to provide African content that is exclusively available for viewers throughout the continent and African diaspora living overseas. The WatchAfrica app was announced at AfricaCom this week.
The service will be made possible by net-m’s Anyscreen service, which supports the streaming of multiple channels onto smartphones, tablets and set-top boxes. The integrated 24/7 scheduling solution was provided by Tele 10, the entertainment provider behind WatchAfrica, with a system to build a series of channels from live, pre-recorded or mixed content.
As net-m’s Anyscreen is compatible with its mobile payment technology, it means that anybody with a smartphone in Africa will be able to pay for content.
“We believe that as one of the highest growth regions for mobile entertainment, Africa is deserving of a tailored mobile IPTV and VoD solution,” said Carsten Müller, senior vice president B2O and media at net-m. “We also know that with the low credit card penetration and high smartphone usage in Africa, the traditional forms of payment offered by many other VoD services wouldn’t appeal to consumers.
“We are excited to be part of the launch team for WatchAfrica and are looking forward to speaking with additional content providers at AfricaCom to help us expand the service.”
Much of the launch content will be delivered by AfricaXP, an independent creator and distributor of channels and themed VoD content for African audiences. It offers over 20 themed linear and VoD channels, and has capacity to customise channel content mix and branding. WatchAfrica will also launch with Aflix, an African content service, which is similar to Netflix, and a range of news services including Kenyan news broadcaster K24, and TV10, the first private TV channel from Rwanda with a direct access to social networks.
Eugene Nyagahene, president of WatchAfrica added: “We will make sure to deliver a full range of local African news as African content and give our customers the possibility to comment these news direct over their social networks.”
