MTN set to offer IPTV

The operator looks set to offer video on demand and interactive video services, with an Internet protocol television product set to be launched, possibly as early as this year. By Duncan McLeod.

Added by Duncan McLeod on 6 March 2013.
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Karel Pienaar

Karel Pienaar

MTN South Africa looks set to launch a commercial Internet protocol television (IPTV) product, quite likely later this year or early next year, as it looks to expand into offering “over-the-top” services on its mobile broadband infrastructure.

“If you look at the evolving of MTN into a services company, content will be a key component of that,” says MTN South Africa MD Karel Pienaar in an interview with TechCentral.

“We have been experimenting for a long time with IPTV and content in all its forms and shapes,” he says. “We have a new platform where we are doing limited customer trials.”

Before the operator launches any content services, however, Pienaar says it is imperative that the pricing and experience for consumers is “correct”.

At a demonstration on Wednesday of high-definition video being streamed over MTN’s 4G/LTE network, the operator hinted at the possibility of zero-rating data for customers that purchase content that is streamed over its network. If this is applied, they will pay only for the content they purchase and not the data that is used to download or stream it.

“We look 10 years hence,” Pienaar says of MTN’s plans in the content space. “By then, the average South African will probably have a piece of fibre and will do all his video watching via that fibre, or he will have an LTE interface and so the provider of a lot of the content [he will watch] will be his telco. MTN is absolutely there, but it’s not something you rush into. We are experimenting with dozens of different options. Depending on how successful the trials are, we would like to bring IPTV to market this year already.”

He says MTN is already in discussions with potential content providers.

Telkom has also said it plans to offer IPTV and video-on-demand services on its fixed-line broadband network and is expected to launch a commercial product in 2013.  — (c) 2013 NewsCentral Media

Share this article

  • Sheppy

    Hmm.. I think I would give more credence to MTN providing the service than Telkom!

  • http://twitter.com/Pasco_e Pascoe

    What ever happened to Vodathug TV? They were to launch almost 10 years ago.

  • Aphra

    Bruderbond, same as the DSTV crowd, maybe its their ‘other’ arm. I just see another Multichoice trying to take the monopoly once again…

  • http://twitter.com/rcgmobi Richard Nobody

    IPTV interesting and you will end up bankrupt much faster as data is still overpriced in this country unless they offer an uncapped solution at affordable rates.

  • http://www.facebook.com/lulama Lulama Ndukwana

    So Telkom wants to offer IPTV too? They should not have sold/disbanded Telkom media.

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