SES antennas at the satellite operator’s headquarters in Luxembourg. Photo Credit: SES

SES has expanded its technical reach in Ghana and now serves 4 million TV homes, compared to 2 million in 2015, according to SES’ annual market research, Satellite Monitor. The study shows that SES now reaches two-thirds of TV homes in the country, the vast majority fed directly by its satellite fleet.

The increased reach is mainly driven by SES’ prime orbital position at 28.2 degrees east, which reaches 97 percent of all satellite TV homes in Ghana. From that orbital slot, SES hosts West Africa Platform Services (WAPS), a free-to-air TV platform that provides broadcasters with access to the highest reach in West Africa and gives Ghanaian viewers access to 75 TV channels.

SES’ subsidiary Yahlive, an Abu Dhabi-based satellite joint venture between SES and Yahsat, has also expanded its viewership in North Africa. According to Satellite Monitor, more than 10 million households across Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco have their dishes pointed to Yahlive at 52.5 degrees east. The survey concluded that Yahlive now serves 64 percent of households in Algeria, 51 percent of households in Tunisia, and 58 percent of households in Morocco.