ETL Systems, a global designer and manufacturer of RF distribution equipment for satellite communications, has provided United Arab Emirates telecom operator du with three RF matrices as it continues to build its IPTV network further.

Two 32 x 128 L-band Vortex Matrix systems have been installed and commissioned, with one primary unit going into operation in Dubai and a second unit installed for geo redundancy purposes in Abu Dhabi. A third 64 x 128 L-band Vulcan Matrix has also been installed and commissioned at the du Samacom teleport.

The number of subscribers signed up to du’s IPTV service is growing with all those ordering new home service packages getting access to the du TV+ service. This includes more than 400 local and international channels, many of which are received by du via satellite link before being re-transmitted over its cable and fibre network to customers.

“We are building extra capacity in our IPTV network as we extend our subscriber base further and also want to ensure full resilience in the network. Providing the best customer experience is number one on our list of priorities and achieving full resilience is an important part of this. We have worked with ETL Systems for many years and have full confidence in the product performance,” said Ali Dernaika, Senior Manager IPTV Services at du.

The deal was agreed with support from ETL Systems’ reseller partner in Dubai, Mena Nets, which is a global provider of managed network communication solutions.

“ETL Systems has a vast range of products offering scalable solutions that are adaptable in order to build the right amount of capacity into the network without the necessity to invest in new technology before it is needed. Almost all the equipment is hot swap and with real-time monitoring on performance across all of the matrices, we knew this was the perfect fit for du’s continued growth,” said Mazen Nassar, CEO of Mena Nets.

News of this deal follows the opening of ETL Systems’ Middle East office earlier this year to increase the company’s global presence and meet growing demand in the MENA region.

“We are very pleased to have been able to support both Mena Nets and du in this project here in Dubai,” commented Mather Al-Ali, ETL Systems’ International Sales Manager MENA. “Our equipment is known for its resilience and scalability and being selected once again by du to help it deliver its popular IPTV service is absolutely fantastic.”

The Vortex and Vulcan Matrices are part of ETL’s “V series” matrix family. They offer a reliable solution for RF routing systems, are housed in the most compact rack enclosures possible and include extensive on-board monitoring and reporting of RF card amplifier status, CPU and PSU status, as well as HMI communications.