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Harare – Cell C will this month launch a new entertainment platform encompassing sport, kids entertainment Video on Demand and Live TV under its new Black platform offering after it signed a deal with global content provider, Vubiquity.
The new service will launch on November 14 and brings with it “live streaming of five top European football club channels, and services like sports betting and hotel” bookings.
The football club channels include Barcelona, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea football clubs.
Black will come on board as a new separate division within Cell C which is focused on delivering entertainment and on demand content. The platform will be available across all networks in South Africa.
“Content services around the world are growing as fast as mobile did in its early days and true to Cell C’s form we are embracing content by bringing Black to South Africans,” Cell C chief executive officer, Jose Dos Santos, said on Monday.
Cell C is hoping that its pricing of Black will help spread access to Video on Demand to the majority of South African consumers.
When it launches, subscribers to Black will be able to access a video-on-demand offering that will include up to 5 000 movies, series, music and documentaries, which will include both international and local content.
“We are also in discussions with local production companies to bring South African fans top local content and provide a platform for local talent to showcase their work.
"We have already started work in that arena with the launch of two Cell C originals in last year’s award-winning Break the Net on our Reality App and this year’s Hangman, which is currently flighting on eTV,” Dos Santos added.
The Black application will be on both Android and Google Play, using either a tablet or smartphone while it will also be available on a web interface.
Costs to access the service range from R59 for the big screen, R29 for rentals for the latest releases and R10 per day for local and international movies, series and music.
Cell C’s new arrangement with Vubiquity "encompasses a substantial linear channel entertainment” bundle.
"The deal also covers the licensing and distribution of video-on-demand (VOD) content covering SVOD, TVOD and the latest EST catalogues," said Vubiquity.
Cell C Chief Executive in charge of content, Surie Ramasary, said the new service was a key innovation that was worth “embarking on in the South African market”.
Vubiquity is looking to expand the deal beyond the initial three year agreement as it eyes greater opportunities in the African market.
“The African video market - which is predominantly mobile-first - is constantly changing and adapting, with current forecasts suggesting there are already over one billion mobile connections in Africa today.
“We are proud to be right at the centre of this growth, offering unique and innovative video propositions for our global customer base,” said Adam Poulter, managing director of Vubiquity.
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