Page 45 - SAMENA Trends - February-March 2021

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Oman Broadband to Implement ‘Fiber Over Electric

Poles’ Project

In a first for Oman’s telecom sector, wholly required and new trenches dug depending that currently extends around 74,000
government-owned Oman Broadband upon conditions at site, it noted. As many kilometers across the length and breadth
Company, which is playing a pivotal role as 37 mobile sites currently operated by the of the Sultanate. Utilization of Nama
in implementing the National Broadband company will be covered through the ‘Fiber Group’s fiber optic network will contribute
Strategy, plans to install fiber optic cable Over Electricity Poles’ project, utilizing towards avoiding double investments
(FOC) across existing power lines, as a existing electricity poles and potentially on similar projects as well as positively
cost-competitive alternative to trench- constructing new ones in various increase the pace of projects and achieves
laid cables. A number of contractors are governorates. Trenching for a distance of better financial returns and cost cutting,
bidding for the company’s contract to around 360 kilometers will be required as said Oman Broadband. Oman Broadband
design and install overhead fiber optic well. Oman Broadband — part of Oman ICT is currently focused on the roll-out of a
cables on electricity poles in designated Group — has already been collaborating passive fibre network infrastructure that
areas of the Sultanate. The objective of with utilities of Nama Group (formerly The seeks to provide equal and open access to
the ‘Fiber Over Electricity Poles’ project is Electricity Holding Company) to benefit telecommunication service providers, on a
to “utilize the existing electricity poles to from the massive electricity networks and wholesale basis, and owners and operators
lay Oman Broadband’s FOC (fiber optic associated optical fiber cables already of private networks, on a retail basis,
cable) for providing broadband services by installed by the latter. Last October, Oman thereby enabling end users to efficiently
backhauling mobile sites,” said the state- Broadband signed a strategic partnership leverage high speed fiber in Oman.
owned telecom infrastructure services agreement with Nama Group to utilize the
provider. New poles may be installed where latter’s nationwide fiber optic infrastructure

Viu Ranks First by Monthly Active Users Amongst

Major Video Streaming Platforms in Southeast Asia

Viu, PCCW’s leading pan-regional OTT • In Indonesia and Singapore, Viu ranks with Viu in the lead among platforms with
video streaming service, achieved second in monthly active users, paid 30.5 million total users in those markets.
remarkable results in Q4 2020 according to subscribers and total streaming Viu drives subscribers through premium
a report from AMPD Research, a subsidiary minutes. Korean content and a growing collection of
of Media Partners Asia (MPA). • In the Philippines, Viu ranks first in local acquisitions and original productions,
Key highlights of the report: monthly active users and second in which contributes to the overall growth
• Viu ranks first in aggregate monthly paid subscribers and total streaming of SVOD in Southeast Asia.” The report,
active users amongst premium major minutes. entitled “Southeast Asia Online Video
video streaming platforms in Southeast Ms. Helen Sou, Chief Business Officer, Asia, Consumer Insights & Analytics: A Definitive
Asia (which includes Indonesia, the Viu, said, “The opportunities in the rapidly Study”, leverages MPA’s proprietary AMPD
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand for growing online video streaming market are Research platform, which evaluates
the purposes of the report). immense and expected to continue to grow consumer behavior and usage patterns
• Viu ranks second in paid subscribers at 26% CAGR over the next three years**. across the digital economy, including
and streaming minutes amongst major We are pleased that our content strategy online video and gaming. Using a unique
streaming platforms in Southeast Asia. focusing on Asian content, commitment to solution that fuses passively observed
partnerships and our monetization model digital behavior and empirical survey data,
including both advertising and subscription the study is a result of research carried
tiers has continued to garner traction with out between October to December 2020
both subscribers and advertisers across in the four Southeast Asia markets*** with
Southeast Asia as demonstrated in the insights collected from a combined sample
AMPD research report.”Commenting on base of 29,007 individuals aged 15+. The
the findings, Mr. Anthony Dobson, MPA Vice report covers 45 unique OTT platforms and
President & AMPD Managing Director, said, provides detailed analysis and profiles of
“Total online video users in the region have these platforms.
reached 195 million, excluding YouTube,

45 FEB-MAR 2021