Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      Public money, private plans: MPs demand Post Office transparency

      13 June 2025

      Coal to cash: South Africa gets major boost for energy shift

      13 June 2025

      China is behind in AI chips – but for how much longer?

      13 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025

      10 red flags for Apple investors

      13 June 2025
    • World

      Yahoo tries to make its mail service relevant again

      13 June 2025

      Qualcomm shows off new chip for AI smart glasses

      11 June 2025

      Trump tariffs to dim 2025 smartphone shipments

      4 June 2025

      Shrimp Jesus and the AI ad invasion

      4 June 2025

      Apple slams EU rules as ‘flawed and costly’ in major legal pushback

      2 June 2025
    • In-depth

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025

      Digital fortress: We go inside JB5, Teraco’s giant new AI-ready data centre

      30 May 2025

      Sam Altman and Jony Ive’s big bet to out-Apple Apple

      22 May 2025

      South Africa unveils big state digital reform programme

      12 May 2025

      Is this the end of Google Search as we know it?

      12 May 2025
    • TCS

      TechCentral Nexus S0E1: Starlink, BEE and a new leader at Vodacom

      8 June 2025

      TCS+ | The future of mobile money, with MTN’s Kagiso Mothibi

      6 June 2025

      TCS+ | AI is more than hype: Workday execs unpack real human impact

      4 June 2025

      TCS | Sentiv, and the story behind the buyout of Altron Nexus

      3 June 2025

      TCS | Signal restored: Unpacking the Blue Label and Cell C turnaround

      28 May 2025
    • Opinion

      Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

      2 June 2025

      South Africa’s next crisis? Being offline in an AI-driven world

      2 June 2025

      Digital giants boost South African news media – and get blamed for it

      29 May 2025

      Solar panic? The truth about SSEG, fines and municipal rules

      14 April 2025

      Data protection must be crypto industry’s top priority

      9 April 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » Start-ups » Tuluntulu drives low-bandwidth video

    Tuluntulu drives low-bandwidth video

    By Regardt van der Berg4 June 2014
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    Pierre van der Hoven
    Pierre van der Hoven

    South African start-up Tuluntulu has developed technology it hopes will help propel adoption of video streaming using low-bandwidth connections in emerging markets.

    Tuluntulu has launched a mobile broadcasting application developed to cater to the needs of mobile video viewers in economies where Internet access is typically only available at sub-broadband speeds. It optimises streaming video for slow mobile connections using a platform it developed in conjunction with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

    Founder and CEO Pierre van der Hoven says Tuluntulu will “unlock video streaming as an industry in Africa”.

    “No licences or new transmitter networks are required, opening the industry up to new players,” he says.

    Van der Hoven has more than 20 years’ experience in the media industry, having started his career at the SABC where he held various strategic and financial positions. He is also involved in founding free-to-air broadcaster e.tv, youth radio station Yfm and digital media business Three Blind Mice Communication.

    Tuluntulu’s platform uses “adaptive real-time Internet streaming technology” (Artist), which has been in development for the past six years. The technology was spearheaded by the CSIR lead project coordinator Keith Ferguson and developed by a consortium of researchers and engineers from the CSIR, the University of Cape Town and Internet service provider East Coast Access. The consortium raised funding to the tune of R14,5m from the Technology Innovation Agency to develop Artist.

    The CSIR holds patents for the technology in six countries. The technology is aimed at delivering video over 2G Edge connections.

    Tuluntulu screenshot
    Tuluntulu screenshot

    Van der Hoven tells TechCentral that he founded Tuluntulu to take the platform to market and commercialise it.

    “Tuluntulu will open the way for new voices, new content and new business models,” he says. “The reach offered can also have a quick and significant impact in areas such as education.”

    The app is available for both Android and iOS, and is free to download. There are currently 10 channels on the platform, with more planned in the coming months. The selection on offer includes news channels such as Al Jazeera and South Africa’s ANN7. There is a contemporary urban and mainstream music channel called GUAP, as well as a fashion and glamour channel called Fleur TV.

    Tuluntulu will have a strong focus on educational content, too, but the company plans to launch a much broader scope of channels to cover all interests, says Van der Hoven. At launch, Tuluntulu includes the Mindset Learn educational channel and Spark4u, which deals with the universe and how it works. The app also includes a channel for outdoor enthusiasts and there is a “funny clips” comedy channel.

    Van der Hoven says Tuluntulu will remain free for viewers, although mobile data charges will apply.

    The streaming technology has a variable bitrate, that changes on the fly based on the viewer’s connection speed. Users can adjust the bitrate if they want to increase video quality. Tuluntulu can stream video over slow mobile connections at a rates as low as 50kbit/s without buffering.

    The company intends making money by offering advertising options, including banner ads in the app and video ads in the broadcast stream.

    Broadcasters can launch a channel for R50 000/month and broadcasters will have access to data analytics, something Van der Hoven says is not possible in traditional broadcasting.

    Tuluntulu’s servers are based in Teraco’s open-access data centres and broadcasters who choose to stream content via the app will be liable for bandwidth costs, too.

    Tuluntulu is now also considering video-on-demand services.  — © 2014 NewsCentral Media



    CSIR Keith Ferguson Pierre van der Hoven Tuluntulu
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleMTN, Simfy in music streaming deal
    Next Article Eskom bosses to forgo bonuses

    Related Posts

    Eskom added no new plant in 2024 yet lights mostly stayed on

    17 March 2025

    South Africa is falling behind in weather forecasting technology

    13 December 2024

    CSIR: driving inclusive growth and innovation

    26 November 2024
    Company News

    Huawei Watch Fit 4 Series: smarter sensors, sharper design, stronger performance

    13 June 2025

    Change Logic and BankservAfrica set new benchmark with PayShap roll-out

    13 June 2025

    SAPHILA 2025 – transcending with purpose, connection and AI-powered vision

    13 June 2025
    Opinion

    Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

    2 June 2025

    South Africa’s next crisis? Being offline in an AI-driven world

    2 June 2025

    Digital giants boost South African news media – and get blamed for it

    29 May 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.