In a bid to provide telecommunication and broadcasting technology for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Maredi Telecom & Broadcasting has partnered with Media Links, a Japanese-based provider of high-definition (HD) video transport solutions.
According to the agreement, Maredi will supply Media Links` entire product portfolio, which it hopes it can market to SA`s newly-licensed pay-TV service providers, as well as existing players.
"We started discussions with Media Links when SA was awarded the Soccer World Cup. We knew that broadcasters and telecoms companies would be looking at new technologies for the event," says Lance Manala, chairman of Maredi Telecom & Broadcasting.
Media Links` technology transports HD signals over existing IP/SONET and primary distribution network infrastructures, without the need for HD encoders and telco adapters.
He says Media Links has extensive experience in the events environment, with both the 2006 FIFA World Cup, in Germany, and the 2006 Doha Asian Games on its resume.
The company is now in a good position to provide innovative technology and communications infrastructure to broadcasters, Manala states.
According to the company, the agreement will be worth several million rand in capital expenditure, while commercial and emerging broadcasters prepare for 2010 over the next two years.
"As yet we don`t know exactly how much [the deal is worth], but the size of the partnership will essentially be informed by the buy-in we get from the major players in SA."
Opportunity knocks
Manala is confident the company will fare well in the broadcasting and telecoms space, with a wealth of new opportunities on the horizon. "We have had informal conversations with the various players and the reaction has been a positive one," he says.
Last month, five companies - Walking on Water, On Digital Media, e-SAT, Telkom Media and MultiChoice Africa - were awarded pay-TV licences by the Independent Communications Authority of SA.
The regulator started discussions on the terms and conditions of these licences on 1 October and hopes to have them concluded by mid-November for the smaller players, and end-November for the large players.
Manala says these developments in the South African broadcasting market will give the company more opportunity than it had expected. "Maredi and Media Links are keen to explore various partnership models with the newly-announced independent broadcasting companies."
Training talent
Meredi says it will use the partnership to develop local technical skills. "We will make it our responsibility to recruit and train the appropriate talent, once we have established relationships with the various broadcasters."
Manala says the Beijing Olympics could be the best skills development platform for the company. "If Media Links is given the opportunity to provide the technology for the Olympics, we will have an excellent, hands-on opportunity to train skills in what could be deployed for 2010."
Maredi is black empowerment company that was established by Marubeni Corporation, of Japan, and Edi Technologies, a BEE consortium.
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