Quiptel, a Falcon Media House Company, and the LaserNet Group have confirmed a partnership to deliver OTT services across Africa.

Through the partnership Quiptel will offer its Q-Flow-powered OTT platform to LaserNet to help create integrated platform offers and provide hosted streaming services to independent content owners.

"Rather than investing in hardware and laying new network cables, the joint solution will enable broadcasters and cable companies to increase their market share with a lower capital expenditure," reads an excerpt from a statement issued jointly by the companies.

Sandip Sarda, CEO of Quiptel, said OTT players are thriving in Africa, driven by smartphone penetration and the roll-out of 3G/4G networks, but the challenge is still how to minimise the cost of distribution and at the same time, provide a great video streaming experience.

"Our partnership with LaserNet will encourage innovation, enable technology related training and empower African start-ups across the content creation and production spectrum, enabling them to reach across Africa as well as into other markets like the US and Europe. Quiptel's technology provides a footprint and access to those markets too as well as facilitating the digital switchover, which is good for governments and citizens alike," Sarda said.

Ivan Bridgens, CEO of LaserNet Group, added that the explosion of the smartphone market, and with it the increase in demand for streaming video content, requires a robust and reliable OTT service both inside and outside the home.

Bridgens said, "For today's customers it's essential that the quality of experience can be relied upon. Quiptel represents the future of the industry, with Q-Flow, a game changing technology and a deep understanding of consumer needs. This partnership will enable a platform for niche content owners to showcase their content."

Gert Rieder, Chief Executive of Falcon Media House, added, "More than half a billion people across Africa now subscribe to mobile services, with the number expected to grow to 725 million by 2020 - and these are the defacto devices used to consume content. We see this as a huge market to empower with a great viewing experience through the combined solution with LaserNet in the market," Rieder added.