SKY Italia boost 13E capacity to support HDTV

[Analoguesat]

SKY ITALIA BOOSTS EUTELSAT HOT BIRD™ CAPACITY TO SUPPORT
LAUNCH OF SKY HD
Paris, 2 May 2006
SKY Italia, Italy’s leading pay-TV platform which broadcasts exclusively from Eutelsat’s
HOT BIRD™ video neighbourhood, has unveiled its planning for the launch this month in
Italy of its new SKY HD package dedicated to HDTV content.
In order to support its expansion into HDTV, SKY Italia began leasing an additional HOT
BIRD™ transponder on 1 May, taking its total capacity used across Eutelsat’s HOT BIRD
satellites to 18 transponders. The new service will launch on 17 May with live coverage
of the European Champions League Cup Final. In June, SKY Italia will provide full
coverage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™, enabling subscribers with HD-ready equipment
to benefit from panoramic views and razor-sharp detail of all 64 matches. Broadcasting in
DVB S2 with MPEG4 compression, SKY Italia will be able to accommodate up to five
HDTV channels in a single HOT BIRD™ transponder.
Following the 2006 FIFA World Cup™, SKY Italia will launch its HD bouquet, with
channels dedicated to movies, sports and general entertainment. Access to the SKY HD
package will cost €7 per month, in addition to the main subscription. Subscriptions will be
available from 8 May.
Commenting on the upcoming HD launch, Giuliano Berretta, Eutelsat CEO said “We are
delighted that our HOT BIRD™ video neighbourhood, which ten years ago accompanied
the launch of Europe’s first digital video channels in DVB, is also the platform of choice
for commercial HDTV broadcasting to satellite homes. SKY Italia’s move into HD further
consolidates the important role it plays in Italy’s dynamic television market and opens the
door to a new broadcasting experience for Italian TV homes”.
This new offer will take SKY Italia's channel line-up to over 160 TV and radio channels
serving a subscriber base in Italy of more than 3.6 million homes.