☰

Empresas y finanzas

SES ASTRA Builds Up New DTH Position With Dutch Satellite TV


    SES ASTRA, an SES company (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG), announced
    today a capacity agreement with the Dutch satellite TV provider
    CanalDigitaal for two additional transponders at ASTRA's orbital
    position 23.5 degrees East, targeting the Dutch and Flemish markets.
    With this contract, SES ASTRA is further building up this orbital slot
    as a new Direct-to-Home (DTH) position. CanalDigitaal will launch its
    new digital thematic package at 23.5 degrees East this autumn and add
    a whole range of new High Definition (HD) TV services at a later
    stage. Following the agreement, CanalDigitaal is using a total of six
    transponders on the ASTRA Satellite System. In November 2006, the
    Dutch regional broadcasters had already launched free-to-air via one
    transponder at 23.5 degrees East.

    According to the agreements, CanalDigitaal's existing services
    will continue to be transmitted via ASTRA 19.2 degrees East. To allow
    for a cost-efficient and easy reception of the services from 19.2
    degrees East and 23.5 degrees East via existing 60 cm dishes, SES
    ASTRA and CanalDigitaal have jointly developed the so-called DUO LNB
    60. Following an extensive promotion campaign this summer in
    cooperation with the Dutch regional broadcasters, over 50,000 DUO
    LNB's have already been sold into the Dutch market. Furthermore, two
    weeks after the announcement of its new digital thematic package,
    CanalDigitaal has already nearly 40,000 pre-registrations for the new
    offer on 23.5 degrees East.

    SES ASTRA currently reaches over 750.000 DTH homes subscribing to
    CanalDigitaal. The program offer includes all Dutch national channels
    and a wide range of thematic channels. Following the launch in 2006 of
    TV Vlaanderen, CanalDigitaal's sister company in Flanders, the Flemish
    DTH market currently counts over 50,000 TV Vlaanderen subscribers. To
    further support the growth of the market, SES ASTRA is opening a
    Benelux marketing affiliate in Hilversum, in the Netherlands, in the
    direct neighbourhood of its key customers and market partners. The
    ASTRA Benelux manager Bill Wijdeveld has been appointed General
    Manager of ASTRA Benelux.

    Alexander Oudendijk, Chief Commercial Officer of SES ASTRA, said:
    "Over the last years, DTH satellite reception has matured rapidly in
    the competitive Dutch speaking markets. We are fully confident that
    ASTRA 23.5 degrees East will become an important additional DTH
    position, in conjunction with the ASTRA 19.2 degrees East position.
    The quick take-up of ASTRA DUO LNB sales in the Netherlands confirms
    that the concept of duo-satellite reception works, provided the
    channel neighbourhood is attractive and the reception devices
    cost-efficient and easy to use."

    Kees Farber, Chief Operating Officer at CanalDigitaal, said: "The
    Dutch market has grown successfully with a single satellite position
    at ASTRA 19.2 degrees East. Our strong need to offer more digital
    channels and expand into HDTV has led us to choose a strategic
    expansion via ASTRA 23.5 degrees East. Ease of installation and
    compatibility with existing customer equipment are strong requirements
    in order to make this combination a success. The high demand for the
    new DUO LNB proves that we found the right solution to continue
    reliable DTH services for TV and radio and to secure a
    customer-friendly way to further expand our market."

    Note for the press:

    Further background on the agreement will be provided during a
    press conference at the IBC in Amsterdam, today at 4 p.m. in the SES
    Business Lounge at the SES/ SES ASTRA booth, Hall 1. For details
    please contact:

    Bill Wijdeveld
    ASTRA Benelux
    + 31 613857573
    bill.wijdeveld@ses-astra.com

    About SES ASTRA www.ses-astra.com

    SES ASTRA is the leading Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite system in
    Europe, delivering services to more than 109 million DTH and cable
    households. The ASTRA satellite fleet currently comprises 13
    satellites, transmitting 1,864 analogue and digital television and
    radio channels. SES ASTRA also provides satellite-based multimedia,
    internet and telecommunication services to enterprises, governments
    and their agencies. With 26 High Definition (HD) channels available
    via its satellites today, ASTRA is also the most important HDTV
    broadcasting platform in Europe. ASTRA's prime orbital positions are
    19.2 degrees East, 28.2 degrees East, and 23.5 degrees East.

    SES ASTRA is an SES company (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG). SES owns
    three market-leading satellite operators, SES ASTRA in Europe, SES
    AMERICOM in North America, and SES NEW SKIES, which provide global
    coverage and connectivity. The Company also holds strategic
    participations in SES Sirius in Europe, Ciel in Canada and Quetzsat in
    Mexico. SES provides outstanding satellite communications solutions
    via a fleet of 37 satellites in 25 orbital positions around the globe.
    Additional information on SES is available at: www.ses.com

    About CanalDigitaal and TV-Vlaanderen www.canaldigitaal.nl and
    www.tv-vlaanderen.be

    CanalDigitaal combined with sister company TV-Vlaanderen ,
    represent the largest provider of digital TV in the Benelux with more
    than 800,000 customers. CanalDigitaal and TV-Vlaanderen operate via
    the ASTRA Satellite System at both 19.2 and 23.5 East, providing
    customers direct-to-home access to all the Dutch and Flemish public
    and commercial broadcasters, premium sports and movie services,
    thematic channels and a wide range of free-to-air channels in various
    languages currently available on ASTRA (more than 200). CanalDigitaal
    delivers "excellent quality of picture and sound" (according to the
    Dutch Consumers Society in 2005) when compared to other types of
    digital TV.