Type Public Predecessor TopTV Founded 2010 | Industry Telecommunication Website www.starsat.co.za | |
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Headquarters Woodmead, Gauteng,
South Africa Products Direct broadcast satellite | ||
StarSat, South Africa is a subsidiary of the Chinese satellite television provider, StarTimes, operating in South Africa that began broadcasting on 1 May 2010. StarSat is owned by On Digital Media, who were granted a pay-TV license by ICASA in September 2007. On Digital Media is 20% owned by TV satellite operator SES and 20% owned by China’s StarTimes. StarSat's service is aimed at the LSM 6-9 demographic, targeting middle class viewers. Until 31 October 2013, the service was known as TopTV.
Contents
Toptv is now starsat
History
On Digital Media (Pty) Ltd began broadcasting on 1 May 2010 as TopTV.
On 30 April 2013, shareholders of On Digital Media (ODM), StarSat's parent company, voted to approve StarTimes taking over a 20% share of ODM. By doing so, StarTimes effectively acquired a 65% economic interest in ODM. The vote also included adoption of a business rescue plan.
The StarSat brand replaced TopTV and was officially launched on 31 October 2013. The new packages and channels associated with the new brand were made available on 1 December 2013,
Broadcast and Reception
StarSat services are broadcast via satellite, using the SES5 satellite at the 5°E orbital position, and 3 of the six 36 MHz transponders in the 'Sub Saharan Africa Ku-band' beam providing coverage of the whole sub-Saharan Africa region. Transmissions are in the DVB-S2 MPEG-4 digital TV format with reception using a simple set-top box, with a PVR receiver slated for later in 2011.