ShowMax has now launched internet TV services to 36 countries across sub-Saharan Africa in a move that brings the total number of countries where ShowMax supplies subscription Video on Demand (VoD) services to 65 worldwide.

The service is now available in at least one country from each of Africa's regional economic communities.

Barron Ernst, Chief Product Officer at ShowMax, said, "The speed and cost of connectivity are significant hurdles for any internet-based service in Africa. Getting it right means you've got to do much more than just flick a switch. We've been busy testing the service in key locations across the continent and optimising our delivery network. Perhaps more importantly, we've adapted our apps to address the needs of consumers in Africa, introducing features like downloads for viewing TV shows and movies when not connected."

ShowMax says some of the product features it has developed to address connectivity constraints include adaptive bitrate streaming that monitors connection speeds and automatically adjusts video stream resolution to avoid buffering, download functionality to save up to 25 TV shows and movies for viewing offline, as well as user-selectable download or streaming quality to limit data usage.

The sub-Saharan service will cost US$ 7.99 per month for unlimited viewing according to ShowMax. The company says its catalogue includes approximately fifteen thousand TV show episodes and movies.

"The other key to success is making sure you've got the right mix of international and local content. We've added Kiswahili and Nollywood shows and movies to our existing class-leading catalogue of Hollywood and British favourites,"

Ernst says the growth potential of the African market is huge and they are aware that they not the only internet TV service looking to meet that demand.

"The difference is that we're not simply cutting and pasting an existing model from elsewhere, and instead have built a product and content selection designed specifically for Africa," he adds.