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K-NET Transits to New Digital Communications Satellite

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Yomi Bolarinwa, director-general, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC)
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K-NET , a leading African telecommunications company offering triple-play voice, data and video services across sub-Saharan Africa, has announced the successful transition of its satellite-based services to a new high-powered digital communications satellite located above the equator in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 28.2 degrees East and providing coverage across West and Central Africa.

The new TV and broadband internet services from K-NET are available anywhere in Nigeria, DRC, Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Benin, Rwanda, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Togo, Central African Republic, Congo, Liberia, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea.

The Astra 2F satellite, built by Astrium and operated by SES, was launched on the Ariane 5 launch vehicle from Kourou in French Guiana on September 28, 2012, with commercial services commencing in November 2012 after extensive in-orbit testing.

The new 2F satellite has a 15-year life and replaces the Astra 2B satellite which was launched in 2000.

K-NET’s state-of-the-art teleport located at McCarthy Hill in Accra, Ghana is used to deliver multichannel digital TV and ultrafast broadband internet services anywhere and everywhere throughout 16 countries within the African contingent.

K-NET’s McCarthy Hill teleport connects West Africa to major international internet POPs (Points of Presence) in Europe and the US via multiple high-capacity submarine optical fibre cables.

The new 2F satellite offers higher power, now enabling digital TV reception by every household in West/Central Africa via a 60cm dish and inexpensive DVB decoder.

The K-NET digital TV platform is currently enjoyed by over 1 million households, receiving 20 free-to-air (FTA) digital direct-to-home (DTH) TV channels, including 3 of the 4 most-watched TV channels in Ghana – namely GTV, TV3 and TV Africa, as well as the hugely popular MultiTV suite of TV channels.

Digital TV and ultrafast broadband are now available to every home and business using a single compact satellite dish.

The new high-powered satellite enables K-NET to launch a new range of broadband internet service packages which offer businesses and consumers unrivalled levels of performance and value for money.

These services are available anywhere and everywhere throughout 16 West and Central African countries, from the most densely-populated urban areas to the most sparsely-populated rural locations. 

A complete range of service packages is available, designed to meet the wide range of needs and budgets from small businesses and consumers to large enterprises and heavy downloaders.

The new entry-level CONNECT packages are designed to offer very reliable and very high performance business-grade Internet services at retail pricing starting from just $30 per month with download speeds of 1Mbps.

The top-of-the-range PREMIUM packages are designed to meet the connectivity needs of the most demanding Internet users, with download speeds of 8Mbps and peak-time download volumes of up to 100GB per month.

All the packages offer unlimited download volumes during off-peak hours. No matter which service package is selected, K-NET delivers the most reliable Internet service available on the African continent, with a service availability of 99.7%. K-NET provides local sales and after-sales support across the whole territory to ensure the highest levels of customer support.

Commenting on the successful transition, , Michael Darcy, K-NET CEO said “K-NET is delighted to have successfully completed this strategic transition of our digital TV and broadband services from the Astra 2B to 2F satellites.

The new 2F platform, with its 15-year design life and increased capacity and power, ensures that K-NET’s customers are guaranteed the highest levels of performance and the very best value for money for many years to come”.

K-NET operates a comprehensive structured Partner program which offers qualified Partners with best-in-class levels of technical and sales training and support, together with a 50/50 revenue share.

Partners can quickly build substantial recurring monthly revenue streams by growing their subscriber base within their region. To find out more about becoming a qualified partner, contact K-NET at [email protected].


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MTN Launches One TV with Free-to-View, Pay-as-You-Go

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MTN Group has begun rolling out MTN One TV, a new entertainment proposition designed to make digital video content more accessible, relevant, and flexible for customers across African markets.

MTN Launches One TV with Free-to-View, Pay-as-You-Go

Introduced in line with MTN’s Ambition 2030 strategy, MTN One TV brings together local storytelling, live channels, international programming, and market-specific viewing options tailored to how customers across the continent access and pay for digital entertainment.

The proposition is designed to give customers greater choice in how they watch content, with viewing models that may vary by market and can include free-to-view content, advertising-funded experiences, pay-as-you-watch access, and subscription offerings.

Depending on local availability, customers may also be able to pay through airtime, Mobile Money, and other locally supported payment methods, helping to reduce common barriers to streaming access.

Beyond enhancing customer experiences, MTN One TV creates new opportunities for African creators, broadcasters, advertisers, and ecosystem partners by helping connect content to wider audiences through MTN’s scale across connectivity, payments, and digital services.

By bringing together a broad mix of content experiences under a single proposition, MTN aims to support greater content discovery, broader audience reach, and sustainable growth across Africa’s digital entertainment ecosystem.

Anchored in MTN’s strategic platforms of Connectivity, Fintech, and Digital Infrastructure, MTN One TV forms part of the Group’s broader ambition to build digital experiences that create value for customers while enabling participation and growth across Africa’s digital economy.

“Entertainment is increasingly becoming an important gateway to digital participation,” said Selorm Adadevoh, MTN group chief commercial, strategy and transformation officer.

“Through MTN One TV, we are leveraging the scale of our connectivity, fintech, and digital capabilities to make relevant content more accessible while creating new opportunities for Africa’s creative and digital economies. This is aligned with our ambition to deliver digital solutions for Africa’s progress.”

MTN One TV is being introduced progressively across MTN markets through a phased rollout approach that reflects local market needs, existing services, and partnership opportunities.

Over time, MTN will bring together a combination of video capabilities, content partnerships, and customer experiences under the MTN One TV brand to create a more consistent and scalable entertainment proposition across its footprint.

Through MTN One TV, MTN continues to extend its role beyond connectivity by combining entertainment, payments, and digital services to deliver experiences tailored to the needs of African consumers.

The rollout supports MTN’s Ambition 2030 vision of leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress while expanding access to digital entertainment across the continent.

 


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IATA Drops Bombshell: Nigeria Among World’s Most Expensive Countries to Run an Airline

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International Air Transport Association (IATA) has identified Nigeria as one of the most expensive countries in the world for airline operations, citing high taxes, charges and operational costs that continue to weigh heavily on local carriers.

IATA Drops Bombshell: Nigeria Among World's Most Expensive Countries to Run an Airline

IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Al-Awadhi, disclosed this during the association’s Annual General Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro.

Al-Awadhi said that although Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had been pursuing reforms aimed at improving the aviation sector, airlines operating in the country still faced enormous cost pressures.

According to him, the high-cost operating environment has continued to affect the profitability and competitiveness of Nigerian airlines, making it difficult for the industry to realise its full potential.

He noted that excessive taxes, regulatory charges and other operating expenses remained major obstacles to airline growth across the region, with Nigeria ranking among the most challenging markets from a cost perspective.

Al-Awadhi urged member states of the Economic Community of West African States to adopt a proposed 25 per cent reduction in aviation taxes and charges to ease the burden on airlines and passengers.

According to him, lowering taxes and charges would reduce airfares, stimulate passenger traffic and strengthen the competitiveness of carriers operating within West Africa.

He stressed that a more supportive policy environment was critical to unlocking the economic benefits of aviation, including increased trade, tourism and regional integration.

Industry stakeholders have consistently advocated lower taxes and regulatory fees, arguing that the current cost structure makes air travel less affordable and limits the growth of the sector.

IATA’s latest remarks add to calls for governments in West Africa to implement policies that will promote a more sustainable and competitive aviation industry across the region.


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NASENI Trains 50 Women in Kano on Renewable Energy Technologies Under She-Powers Initiative

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The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), under the leadership of its Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, has trained 50 women in Kano State on inverter and battery technologies through its She-Powers Energy Initiative.

NASENI Trains 50 Women in Kano on Renewable Energy Technologies Under She-Powers Initiative

The three-day programme, held at the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano which ended yesterday, was designed to equip participants with practical renewable energy skills, promote women-led enterprises, and enhance sustainable livelihoods.

 The initiative forms part of NASENI’s broader commitment to empowering women, creating economic opportunities, and expanding participation in Nigeria’s growing clean energy sector. It also aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by supporting job creation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic development.

 Through targeted interventions such as the She-Powers Energy Initiative, NASENI continues to demonstrate its commitment to leveraging technology and innovation to improve lives and drive sustainable development across the country.

Photos: Participants at the She-Powers Energy Initiative training organised by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) held at the the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano yesterday.


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