BT signs network deal with pay-TV operator in the Middle East

BT announced that it has signed a five-year managed network-services contract with Gulf DTH, a company that owns and operates Showtime Arabia, a leading pay-TV network in the Middle-East and North Africa.

Under the terms of the agreement, BT will connect Gulf DTH operations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and the United Kingdom using its Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network.

Migration to a single network will enable Gulf DTH to reduce its operational costs and improve productivity by adding other services that can be built upon the network. It will also provide for the pay-TV operator to join BT’s Global Digital Media Platform (GMN), thus transforming the way content is delivered to channels and home users.

GMN is a managed network service based on MPLS virtual private networks that provides secure, high quality interworking connectivity for both broadcast-quality real-time video and other data applications between customers in dispersed locations.

Wael El Kabbany, Business Development Director for BT Middle-East and Africa said: ‘We are delighted that Showtime Arabia has chosen us as a business partner. This deal demonstrates the importance of this market to us and our ability to meet the needs of global organizations. It is a sign of BT’s continued commitment to the region and the success of its partnering approach.’

‘This solution was chosen to optimize inter-network performance and will deliver significant benefits to both our cost base and our effectiveness in serving our customers,’ Steven Macdiarmid, Vice-President of Operations at Showtime Arabia commented, ‘BT’s strong track record, deep expertise in network IT services and experience in managing complex global contracts were key factors in making this investment decision.’

Tags: BT, Gulf DTH, Showtime Arabia, Steven Macdiarmid, Wael El Kabbany