StarSat explained

StarSat (formerly TopTV until 31 October 2013^[2]) was a South African direct broadcast satellite television service that began broadcasting on 1 May 2010.^[3] StarSat was operated by On Digital Media,^[4] who were granted a pay-TV license by ICASA in September 2007.^[5] On Digital Media is currently 20% owned by Luxembourgish satellite operator SES and 20% owned by Chinese company StarTimes.^[6] StarSat's service was aimed at the LSM 6-9 demographic, targeting middle class viewers.

History

On Digital Media (Pty) Ltd launched TopTV on 1 May 2010.

On 30 April 2013, shareholders of On Digital Media voted to approve China-based company StarTimes taking over a 20% share of ODM. By doing so, StarTimes effectively acquired a 65% economic interest in ODM. The vote also included adoption of a business rescue plan.

TopTV was officially rebranded as StarSat on 31 October 2013. The new packages and channels associated with the new brand were made available on 1 December 2013.^[7]

When Starsat's broadcasting licence expired on 8 July 2024, with Starsat having failed to submit an application to renew its licence, the regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) gave StarSat until 18 September to shut its services down and to advise its customers and suppliers accordingly.^[8]

On 2 October 2024, when Starsat ignored this deadline, ICASA and law enforcement officials raided the StarSat premises and confiscated the broadcaster's broadcasting equipment.^[9]

The matters remains unresolved, with the broadcaster having promised to challenge the action in court, but ICASA spokesperson Zanele Ntuli stating that the regulator was unaware of official filings.^[10]

Broadcast and reception

StarSat services were broadcast via satellite, using the SES-5 satellite at the 5° east orbital position, and 3 of the six 36 MHz transponders in the "Sub Saharan Africa Ku-band" beam providing coverage of the whole sub-Saharan Africa region.^[11] Transmissions were in the DVB-S2 MPEG-4 digital TV format with reception using a simple set-top box and with the Combo3 PVR decoder launched in 2011.

Conax was used as conditional access system.

Channels

Channels from the Satellite DTH consisted of seven packages Smart and Super and Special and Global and French and Indian and Chinese.^[12]

See also

• Astra 4A broadcasting satellite
• Astra 5°E orbital position
• SES satellite operator
• Astra satellite family
• MX1

External links

• • On Digital Media website
• StarTimes website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Icasa raids StarSat, pulls plug on infrastructure . October 2, 2024.
2. Goodbye TopTV, Hello StarSat . TVSA . October 31, 2013 . January 2, 2014.
3. TopTV Launch - Rise Up South Africa! . On Digital Media . 29 April 2010 . January 2, 2014.
4. Web site: On Digital Media website . 15 May 2010.
5. de Lanerolle, Indra . Convergence and regulation in South Africa: in search of a new public interest paradigm . info . 13 . 3 . 47–63 . 2011 .
6. News: More delays in store for TopTV as shareholders head to court . City Press . 22 October 2013 . January 2, 2014.
7. Web site: About Us . StarSat . January 2, 2024.
8. Web site: South Africa's broadcasting regulator warns that StarSat which failed to renew its pay-TV licence in time is operating illegally and should have shut down 18 September. . September 20, 2024.
9. Web site: Icasa raids StarSat, pulls plug on infrastructure . October 2, 2024.
10. Web site: ICASA denies knowledge of StarSat's legal action following forced shutdown . October 25, 2024.
11. Web site: Astra 4A . SES . January 26, 2012.
12. Web site: StarSat Packages. Starsat South Africa. 3 March 2025. 6 June 2024. https://starsat.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/June-2024-Channel-List.jpg.