On January 8th, Eutelsat launched a demo Ultra-HDTV channel – the first full-time such channel anywhere on the planet. This step is but the first in what Berenberg Bank says represents a growing momentum building in Ultra-HDTV.

“2012 was the year when we first heard noise about Super Hi-Vision or Ultra HDTV (UHDTV), the new broadcasting standard that offers four to 16 times the resolution of standard HD,” stated Bernberg’s note to clients. “Ultra HD was a major feature of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this year, with Sony coming out strongly in favour of the new standard, supporting it in both hardware and content terms.”

Analyst Sarah Simon at the bank added: “The development of this standard has clearly positive implications for infrastructure providers SES and Eutelsat, although more so for SES, we think, given that we expect SES’s core markets (US, UK, Germany) to lead the way in the move to UHDTV, implying upgrades for SES growth before the effect is seen on Eutelsat. Ultra HD will also increase pressure on alternative networks, making it far more difficult to buy into the idea of switching off satellite in favour of fully over-the-top distribution.”

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