New service for free-to-air channels provides access to more than 10 million digital ASTRA DTH-homes in Europe
SES ASTRA, an SES GLOBAL company (Euronext Paris, Frankfurt and Luxembourg Stock Exchanges: SESG) and GlobeCast, a leading global satellite services provider and France Telecom subsidiary, announce an agreement to offer access to the ASTRA Satellite System at 19.2° East to multicultural TV channels, targeting Spain and France. The GlobeCast satellite multiplex located in Madrid and linked to Globecast's worldwide ATM fiber ring will ensure secured access to the ASTRA platform.
This agreement will notably enable additional ethnic channels to join the roster of digital free-to-air channels on ASTRA. ASTRA currently broadcasts over 130 digital TV channels plus another 100 digital radio stations that can be received free-to-air with a simple dish antenna pointed at ASTRA 19.2° East and a simple, affordable digital satellite receiver.
The number of households opting to receive digital Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite via ASTRA is increasing due to the growing interest in receiving quality and diverse television content at competitive prices. This agreement provides a great opportunity for television channels to be accessed by more than 10 million European households receiving digital TV through ASTRA, of which 1.34 million are in Spain, and 2.99 million in France.
GlobeCast will deliver channels to the platform over its global transmission network that includes 15 teleports and technical operations centers on five continents, as well as via a global ATM fiber ring that interconnects GlobeCast's facilities worldwide to the multiplex gateway in Spain.
"Our partnership will benefit broadcasters by offering a one-hop global package to reach ASTRA viewers in Spain and in France from anywhere in the world. ASTRA is the world's most recognized name in Direct-to-Home satellite broadcasting, and GlobeCast is a leader in global DTH content distribution via satellite and fiber. GlobeCast's worldwide fiber and satellite contribution network will feed channels to our ASTRA gateway in Madrid", states Christian Pinon, President and CEO of GlobeCast.
Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO of SES ASTRA, underlines: "With GlobeCast's digital gateway in Madrid, SES ASTRA is in a position to offer customers a secured satellite uplink to continental Europe's most popular orbital position of 19.2° East. GlobeCast, with its global transmission network that includes 15 teleports and technical operations centers on five continents, is ideally positioned to drive new business to the ASTRA platform, and thereby further enhance the programming choice available to millions of ASTRA households in Europe."
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About GlobeCast: | |
GlobeCast (www.globecast.com) - a subsidiary of France Telecom (NYSE:FTE) - is the world's leading satellite services company, operating a global network of satellite distribution platforms for DTH and cable broadcast, enterprise media and advanced IP-based content delivery. The company's global presence includes 17 offices as well as 15 teleports and technical operations centers throughout America, Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Africa. GlobeCast offers the complete range of satellite broadcast solutions, including TV channel distribution, secure satellite Internet delivery, webcasting, satellite newsgathering, direct-to-home distribution, sports programming backhaul, program origination, studio production, special events mobile production and audio distribution.
GlobeCast distributes more than 500 channels worldwide to supply Direct-to-Home Pay TV providers and cable operators. The company specializes in satellite delivery of multicultural and "ethnic" programming to overseas markets through multiple platforms, including the GlobeCast WorldTV DTH service in America.
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About SES ASTRA | http://www.ses-astra.com |
The ASTRA Satellite System is Europe’s leading Direct-to-Home satellite system, delivering services to more than 94 million Direct-to-Home and cable households. The ASTRA satellite fleet currently comprises 13 satellites, transmitting in excess of 1100 analogue and digital television and radio channels as well as multimedia and Internet services. ASTRA’s two prime orbital positions for DTH (Direct-To-Home) services are 19.2° East and 28.2° East. Professional services like Direct-to-Cable (DTC), Satellite Newsgathering (SNG) and Occasional Use are offered from the orbital positions of 23.5°/24.2° East and 5.2° East.
SES ASTRA is an SES GLOBAL company (Euronext Paris, Luxembourg and Frankfurt stock exchanges: SESG). SES GLOBAL owns two market-leading satellite operators, SES ASTRA in Europe, and SES AMERICOM in the US. The Company also holds strategic participations in AsiaSat in Asia, Star One and Nahuelsat in Latin America, and NSAB in Europe. Via its WORLDSAT subsidiary it provides unparalleled connections to the premier regional satellite fleets of these SES GLOBAL partners. Americom Government Services provides network solutions and bandwidth to the US government and its contractors. SES GLOBAL can provide outstanding satellite communications solutions via a fleet of 40 satellites across the globe. In addition, SES GLOBAL is a shareholder in ORBCOMM, a provider of wireless data communications services through a low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite network, and in satellite technology companies Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. and ND Satcom. Last but not least, SES GLOBAL is a founding shareholder in SATLYNX, a Luxembourg based joint venture with Gilat and Alcatel Space, which has created an unrivalled portfolio of reliable and cost-efficient two-way satellite broadband service solutions to enterprises/corporates, small office/home office (SOHO) users and local communities all over Europe. Additional info on SES GLOBAL at: www.ses-global.com.
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