Trace will launch its SVOD service TracePlay in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) at the end of this year.
It follows the signing of one of two partnership agreements with Africell, the country’s mobile operator. The SVOD agreement will see the TracePlay audio and video service, which features 10 live TV channels, 30 radio stations and 2,000 Afro-urban programmes, made available to Africell’s 3G mobile subscribers and data users. Meanwhile, an agreement covering radio will see the FM station AfriRadio, owned by Africa Media, come to be managed by Trace and renamed Trace FM, by this November.
Commenting on the agreements, Olivier Laouchez, CEO, co-founder and Chairman of Trace, said: “We are proud to have been chosen by Africell to continue developing their FM radio and to offer to their 3G subscribers theTracePlay platform. This partnership is exemplary of the convergence between a media group and a mobile operator, both of which have put at the centre of their priorities a range of services close to the expectations of Congolese people and especially Congolese youth, who constitute more than 60% of the population.”
Omar Khodr, DG of Africell DRC, added: “This strategic alliance with Trace demonstrates that Africell is the most dynamic mobile operator and the closest to the Congolese who are all passionate about music and TV programmes. With Trace, Africell teamed up with the leading and favourite music brand of the Congolese. In DRC, our alliance with Trace will energise the mobile industry as well as the radio and music industries and will benefit the Congolese people.”
