Multichoice has confirmed it will start a digital service to sub-Saharan Africa using Eutelsat (Interspace 692). The service will launch late June 2000, following the deployment and testing of the Eutelsat W4 satellite in the 36 degrees East slot.

This is a significant development for Multichoice, and a major win for Eutelsat, as it will provide a hot bird‚ satellite position to a huge tract of Africa, with Multichoice saying it will expand its footprint over West Africa, into new countries such as Gambia, Senegal, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone and Liberia, as well as to Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles in the East. Although the new countries are all interesting enough, the key markets of Nigeria and Kenya, where Multichoice already has established businesses, should benefit from the improved digital signals and greater viewer choice. Irdeto is believed to be the encryption system.