Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC), a multi-platform media firm, has entered into an agreement with Humax, a leading manufacturer of set-top boxes, for the deployment of the English Premier League (EPL) sports programming in Mena.

As part of the deal, Humax will handle the supply and sales of high-definition set-top boxes (HD STB) for the distribution of EPL via Abu Dhabi Al Riyadiya channels.

The agreement comes on the heels of ADMC’s distribution strategy announced last month, which confirmed several EPL subscription platforms available to football fans, including a high-definition set-top box, IPTV, and streaming via broadband Internet.

“We are committed to offering our audiences a high-quality viewing experience via the platform of their choice,” Karim Sarkis, executive director of broadcast at ADMC.

“We believed it was necessary to seek an established provider, capable of assisting our market entry in the subscription platform via HD STB, not only in its capacity as a manufacturer and supplier, but also as ADMC's strategic partner,” he added.

For Humax, the exclusive sales agreement is part of its plans to set out its HD STB technology throughout the Mena region.

“As demand increases for television content delivered in HD, one of our key priorities is setting the stage for broadcasters,” said Byun Dae-Gyu, CEO of Humax.

“Over the past year we have experienced significant growth as our products have acquired traction in the HD broadcast market. We are on track to double our revenue in Mena region this year, through the remarkable growth of the HD STB business in particular,” he added.

Humax’s set-top box was selected as the preferred solution based on the advanced integration of software, hardware and technical support availability.

The STB is capable of viewing both high-definition and standard-definition channels. It is equipped with two smart card slots, for viewers’ convenience, and has a secure chipset embedded for advanced protection against piracy attempts, a statement said.

The high-definition set-top boxes will be marketed across the Middle East and North Africa ahead of the EPL 2010/2011 season start, in mid-August 2010, the statement added. – TradeArabia News Service