Significant increase in number of HD Channels on ASTRA

[Analoguesat]

SES ASTRA, an SES company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), has announced today that the number of High Definition (HD) channels broadcast via the ASTRA Satellite System has increased significantly. ASTRA today transmits 26 HD channels across Europe (24 at year-end 2006), including HD offers from BSkyB, Discovery, National Geographic and History Channel from the UK, CANAL+, M6 and TF1 from France and Premiere, ProSieben, Sat1 and Anixe from Germany. Meanwhile, the total number of HD channels in Europe has increased to 36 at year-end 2006, compared to six in 2005*. Until 2010, the number of HD channels is expected to quadruple to around 160 different channels. SES ASTRA expects to transmit around 100 HD channels by 2010. According to industry estimations, nearly 9 million households in Western Europe are expected to watch HDTV over satellite in 2010*, representing 60 per cent of all expected HDTV households.

"The increase of HD offers on ASTRA shows that our satellite system is continuing to play a leading role in digitalisation and the extension of HD offers across Europe", says Alexander Oudendijk, Chief Commercial Officer of SES ASTRA. "The increase also highlights the rising interest of broadcasters in HDTV and the advantages that the ASTRA Satellite System offers to broadcasters: high bandwidth, widest geographical reach and best transmission quality. We are certain that the further acceleration of the HD development will support a continuous and consistent transition from analogue to digital broadcasting."

* Source Screen Digest




SES Press release