Overview of Affected Channels
On 27 april 2025, eleven West and Central African broadcasters ceased transmission on the Amos-17 satellite’s 12144 V transponder. These include pan-African news outlet Afrique Media Industry; youth-oriented Passion TV and FY Africa; Hausa-language Hausa 7 TV; faith-based Grace TV Benin, TV Al Houda, and EPC TV; Cameroon-focused Hi TV Cameroon and Kiss TV Cameroon; regional public broadcaster RTVC Koume; and STV 24 (Africa) news channel. Amos-17 provides Ku-band DTH television and broadband services across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
Transponder Details
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 12144 MHz |
| Polarization | Vertical (V) |
| System | DVB-S2/QPSK |
| Symbol Rate | 15000 ksps |
| FEC | 3/4 |
Departure Reports
According to ground-station monitoring logs, these channels went dark on 27 April 2025 between 05:28 and 05:34 CET on the 12144 V transponder:
Afrique Media Industry signed off at 05:28 CET.
- Afrique Media Industry is the first pan-African, multilingual news channel, championing African perspectives through live news, debates, and cultural programming.
Passion TV ended transmission at 05:33 CET.
- Passion TV is a community-focused station based at the Nsawam Fire Service junction in Ghana, offering local news, cultural shows, and event coverage for its regional audience.
FY Africa (For You Africa) ceased at 05:33 CET.
- FY Africa (For You Africa) is a digital multimedia channel delivering lifestyle content, youth-oriented talk shows, and pan-African cultural features across online platforms.
Hausa 7 TV went off-air at 05:33 CET.
- Hausa 7 TV is Cameroon’s pioneering channel broadcasting in Hausa and Fulfulde, delivering news, entertainment, and cultural programming to Hausa-speaking communities.
Grace TV Benin signed off at 05:33 CET.
- Grace TV Benin (More Grace TV) is the Christian broadcaster of the Divine Grace of Glory Church, featuring sermons, gospel music, and humanitarian highlights from Benin City.
Hi TV Cameroon ended its feed at 05:33 CET.
- Hi TV Cameroon is the country’s first full-time English-speaking station in Buea, offering news, entertainment, and community-focused programs.
TV Al Houda went dark at 05:33 CET.
- TV Al Houda is an Islamic channel from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, broadcasting religious teachings, Quran recitations, and cultural shows in French and Arabic.
RTVC Koume dropped off at 05:33 CET.
- RTVC Koume is the regional arm of Cameroon Radio Television serving the Eastern region from Bertoua, offering local news and public-service content in English and French.
EPC TV ceased transmission at 05:33 CET.
- EPC TV is an educational and cultural satellite station providing community-development programs, social-issue talk shows, and locally produced documentaries across West Africa.
STV 24 (Africa) signed off at 05:34 CET.
- STV 24 (Africa) is a 24-hour pan-African news channel under the Soico Televisão network, offering round-the-clock Portuguese-language coverage for Lusophone audiences.
Kiss TV Cameroon ended broadcast at 05:34 CET.
- Kiss TV Cameroon is a music and youth-lifestyle channel from the Radio Africa Group, showcasing urban music videos, live performances, and entertainment news for Cameroon’s young audience.
What Is AMOS-17?
AMOS-17 is a state-of-the-art communications satellite built by Boeing for Spacecom and launched on August 6, 2019. It operates from a geostationary slot at 17° East, delivering high-throughput services in C-band, Ku-band, and Ka-band across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia. Its flexible digital payload and spot-beam design allow customizable coverage and capacity, with an expected service life extending beyond 2040.
- Operator: Spacecom, an Israeli satellite communications company based in Ramat Gan.
- Manufacturer: Boeing Satellite Systems International under a US $161 million contract signed in December 2016.
- Satellite Bus: BSS-702MP platform, offering a flexible digital architecture for multiple frequency bands.
Launch & Orbit
- Launch Vehicle: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
- Launch Date: August 6, 2019, from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
- Orbital Position: 17° East in geostationary orbit, matching Earth’s rotation for fixed coverage areas.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Frequency Bands | C-band / Ku-band / Ka-band |
| Payload Type | Digital High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) |
| Satellite Bus | Boeing BSS-702MP |
| Expected Lifetime | ≥ 20 years (through 2040+) |
| Coverage Beams | C-band spot beams (12), Ku-band (Africa + maritime), Ka-band spot beams |
| Digital Flexibility | Configurable spot-beam shaping and power allocation |
Coverage & Beams
- Africa Ku-Band: Two high-power beams cover from Senegal down to South Africa for broadcast and data services.
- C-Band Spot Beams: Twelve independently steerable beams across sub-Saharan and North Africa for robust media and telecom links.
- Ka-Band: Flexible spot-beam capacity ideal for broadband and cellular backhaul across the continent.
Uses & Customers
- Broadcast TV: DTH television channels serving hundreds of channels into remote and urban markets.
- Internet & Data: High-speed broadband to rural ISPs, corporate networks, and maritime users.
- Government & Enterprise: Secure communications, disaster-recovery links, and mobile backhaul across 49 African countries.
Current Status & Future
AMOS-17 remains fully operational, with transponder utilization growing as African connectivity demand rises. Its digital platform allows Spacecom to reassign capacity dynamically, ensuring efficient use well into the 2030s. Industry updates report ongoing agreements for new governmental and telecom customers throughout 2025.
