Ethiopia unveils 1 January 2021 as date for majority of Satellite TV channels to migrate to 57 degrees East

As of 1 January 2021, Ethiopian TV audiences will access majority of their favourite Ethiopian TV channels exclusively on Ethiosat at 57 degrees East. Ethiopian viewers should have their respective local satellite antenna installer adjust the position of their antenna to access the Ethiosat direct-to-home platform, following the press announcement from the Ethiopian Government on Tuesday 15 December in Addis Ababa.

The partnership agreement signed between Ethiopian Broadcasting Authority (EBA), Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute (ESSTI), which represented the Ethiopian government, public and private broadcasters and SES, the leader in global content connectivity solutions, marks for the beginning of a new era for TV viewers in Ethiopia as the country moves permanently towards the consolidation of Ethiopian content into one prime TV neighbourhood.

“By migrating most of the Ethiopian satellite TV channels to one location, we’ve created a truly Ethiopian-only TV offering that will benefit the country’s economy. Together with the various broadcasting associations and SES, we are committed to helping all Ethiopian TV households across the country to repoint their satellite dishes by year-end to ensure that Ethiopians will continue to have the highest-quality content.”

Dr. Getachew Dinku Godana, Director General of Ethiopian Broadcasting Authority

Ethiosat is Ethiopia’s first-ever dedicated free-to-air (FTA) TV platform, hosted on SES’s NSS-12 satellite. The platform was launched in October 2019 as a result of an agreement between the Association of Ethiopian Broadcasters (AEB), the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) and SES to consolidate all Ethiopian TV channels and broadcast them from one orbital position rather than having viewers navigate through a multitude of foreign channels.  

“We are pleased to announce this strategic partnership with SES on Ethiosat that will bring a completely new television experience to Ethiopians. This alliance also confirms our commitment to support the space sector in Ethiopia, and we are confident that this dedicated Ethiopian TV platform will fuel a bright future for the Ethiopian media sector.”

Abdissa Yilma Tiku, Director General of Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute

Together with EBA, ESSTI and SES – with its Elevate Installer Training programme – will ensure the training and mobilisation of more than 20,000 additional installers to help repoint the dishes. Ethiopian TV audiences who wish to access Ethiosat, should simply turn their dishes to face NSS-12, or contact their local installers. There is no need to buy a new Set-Top Box (STB) or antenna, as all Ethiopian households that currently have an antenna and TV will be able to gain access to Ethiosat.  

“SES is proud to play a pivotal role in such an important project, and remains committed to seeing that the remainder of the migration goes smoothly. To support the migration, we will continue the training of local installers to correctly repoint the satellite dishes of each TV household and ensure that Ethiosat can deliver top-notch quality and viewer satisfaction.”

Steve Collar, CEO of SES

Ethiosat currently delivers 65 channels to Ethiopian homes, with 16 of those channels already in High Definition (HD) quality, which will be exclusive as of 1 January, a first for Ethiopia.