RIYADH, Saudi Arabia & MONTREAL—Arabsat, a global satellite operator and the primary provider of satellite services across the Arab world, has announced that it is working with Grass Valley to launch a new suite of cloud-based broadcast services.
The new Playout X offering uses Grass Valley AMPP OS (Agile Media Processing Platform) to provide a scalable, cloud-native media platform for the evolving needs of broadcasters across the Middle East, Africa, and beyond.
This collaboration, formalized at CABSAT 2024, marks a significant milestone in Arabsat’s digital transformation journey. It will allow Arabsat to offer clients a state-of-the-art cloud-based architecture that features more flexibility, faster deployment, and enhanced operational efficiency, it said.
“At Arabsat, we are committed to staying ahead of industry demands and delivering cutting-edge media services to our customers,” said Eng. Alhamedi Alanezi, CEO and president of Arabsat. “By leveraging Grass Valley AMPP, we’re enabling a new generation of agile, multitenant, cloud-based services that support our video customers’ growth and innovation across the region.”
The Playout X suite features three tailored service tiers:
- TV Pinnacle Package – A premium playout option with multiple live sources with switching capabilities, advanced graphics and subtitling, Dolby support, and full operator assistance.
- Advanced Package – A balanced solution with essential live capabilities, native graphics, and operator support.
- TV Starter Package – A streamlined entry-level tier focused on core broadcast needs.
AMPP, Grass Valley’s cloud-native platform, was selected for its scalability, secure multitenancy features, and seamless integration into Arabsat’s private cloud. Together, the two companies have completed extensive technical evaluation, customizing AMPP to meet Arabsat’s operational standards and security requirements while ensuring high-quality broadcast delivery, they reported.
“This collaboration with Arabsat is a major step forward for Grass Valley in the MENA region,” said Jon Wilson, CEO at Grass Valley. “Arabsat’s vision aligns perfectly with AMPP’s strengths – offering broadcasters the flexibility, performance, and reliability needed to succeed in today’s fast-evolving media landscape.”
As Arabsat begins commercial rollout following CABSAT 2025, broadcasters across the region will benefit from faster service launches, lower hardware infrastructure dependency, and seamless access to next-generation broadcast capabilities—all from a trusted regional provider, the two companies explained.
Grass Valley and Arabsat will be jointly showcasing their partnership at CABSAT 2025 at Arabsat Booth S2-D10 in Hall 2 and at Grass Valley at Booth S1-H10.
