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.
