Challenges with SNG mobile satellite uplinks and broadcasting live from Africa

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Live broadcasting from Africa is one of the productions everyone tends to dread as nothing is simple or easy like it is at home.
The lack of dependable service providers and SNG services in Africa poses the next big risk. Do you want to hire a SNG in an African country that is relatively unknown in service and quality?
Is this savings with the production risk?
The sad reality is generally African SNG’s don’t operate to the same quality and standards as EU or USA providers do which adds to the headache of SNG in Africa if you select the wrong provider.

The next challenge is logistics getting crew and gear to where it needs to get to make the live broadcast and SNG work from Africa. Generally, this planning phase is many times longer than productions at home and comes with many hidden pitfalls and red tape.

The reality is a live SNG Broadcast or Outside Broadcast (OB) from Africa can be some of the most amazing “sexy” television you can ever do LIVE, but that’s only if it is done correctly and with quality SNG service providers otherwise the risk of failure and wasted money is massive.

How do you select a SNG service provider in Africa for your broadcast? These are some of the things we suggest checking for:

Do the engineers speak fluent English to reduce communication stress for yourself and the broadcast team. A good production is only as good as your weakest communications link. Reduce chances of break down in communications.
Does the SNG supplier you want to use in Africa work with international channels on a regular basis this helps you filter out the local SNG’s that do local work only (lower quality service) from those with international standards
Can the SNG supplier in Africa customise solutions you your need and budget or is it take it or leave it offering, i.e. what’s in the truck/flyaway is what’s in it take it or leave it. You want a flexible provider
Can the Africa SNG supplier offer you light weight redundant SNG options Road travel in Africa can be slow and risky for electronic equipment. So often cargo is the best route to get gear in place. So, you need a SNG supplier that can offer a light weight redundant SNG option to save you money on shipping and cargo as budgets are always tight these days and this is the best way to save without compromise
Can the SNG supplier offer you focused personalised service quality comes from attention to detail and sausage machine SNG or TV does not allow for personalised quality.
Will the Africa based SNG supplier assist you with all logistics this makes your planning simpler as the guys on the ground do the planning they know best, local to lighten your load?

Following the above points can reduce your risks and most of all stress on your next Africa SNG or Broadcast production.

Purple Turtle Communication and SNG based out of South Africa and operational all through Africa and the Middle East is a company that offers all the above and more.
Purple Turtle SNG Africa focus is quality personalised customer service. We may not be the biggest in the region but what we lack in size we make up for in the personalised service.
For Purple Turtle SNG Africa clients are people and not account numbers and we go out of our way to make your production near perfect.
“Sexy” quality TV is our passion because “good enough” is not good enough for us. If what we are satellite up linking is not the “sexiest” pictures you have seen, we have failed in our job.

Contact us for your next production and let us show you how we can do things differently and better. OR feel free to call or WhatsApp us on +27 83 654 0932 and to find out more about our other Broadcast services Please visit our website https://www.purpleturtle.co.za/broadcast