Mobile video news service for Africa

The new offering will provide near-live coverage of all 380 Premiership matches in the 2007/2008 season, individual match and weekend 'round-up' highlights packages as well as SMS competitions and
other mobile content. MTech will go live with the service in Nigeria and across sub-Saharan Africa when the Barclays Premier League begins on 11 August 2007, with operator partnerships to be announced shortly beforehand.

“The popularity of the Barclays Premier League is at fever pitch across the continent. African newspapers devote huge space to match reports and radio talk shows feature heated debates between rival supporters,” said Chika Nwobi, MD of MTech.

”Winning proposition”

“Combine this popularity with the potential that mobile content is showing in Africa and you have a winning proposition.”

Africa is the fastest growing cellular market in the world, with cellular connections passing the 200 million mark in the first quarter of 2007 (Wireless Intelligence, May 07) and 184 million subscriber additions expected by December 2011 (Informa Telecoms and Media, February 07).

“During the 2006/2007 season we received over 5 million subscribers to our Premiership-related SMS News service,” added Chika Nwobi. “This was a significant achievement and we are confident that the new service, which includes near-live video and pictures, will easily surpass that figure in 2007/2008.”

“We believe MTech has the right platform on which to further raise the profile of the Premier League in a region which has shown great appetite for football,” said Premier League chief spokesman Dan Johnson. “We look forward to working with them to bring all the very best of the Premier League action to mobiles across the continent.”