International Launch Services (ILS) successfully carried the AsiaSat 7 satellite into orbit November 26 on an ILS Proton for AsiaSat of Hong Kong. This was the 5th commercial mission of the year for ILS and the 8th Proton launch so far this year. Built by Space Systems/Loral, AsiaSat 7 is designed to replace AsiaSat 3S […]
Sky has confirmed it will launch a dedicated channel for its new in-depth Formula 1 coverage. Starting in March 2012, Sky Sports F1 HD will “get Sky customers closer than ever, with more action, analysis and information – on their TV, online and mobile devices – throughout the season.” The dedicated channel will be provided […]
Bangladesh’s information minister Abul Kalam Azad says parliament was looking to increase the number of satellite TV channels permitted to operate in the country. A formal policy was now being drafted which would clarify the position for would-be broadcasters. According to a report from BBC Monitoring, 16 channels were now operating, five others had started […]
Satellite operator SES is charging German viewers a small ‘technical fee’ to decrypt the HDTV signals from a number of German network broadcasters. SES launched the scheme in late 2009, and the signals are now being viewed by 1.9 million households. The first year of viewing is free, and the major question was whether German […]
Tiny Monte Carlo (population 35,400) was never likely to need a great deal of orbital satellite capacity, although only slightly larger Luxembourg (505,000) has made a very good business out of satellite communications. Monaco, via Space Systems Int’l/Monaco S.A.M., has instead licensed certain orbital rights to Turkmenistan (population 5.1 million) in order for the oil-rich […]
SES is about to see its 50th satellite added to its fleet. SES-4 has arrived at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazhakstan ahead of a launch planned for the end of December. SES-4 will be the largest-ever craft launched for the Luxembourg-based operator. A true giant, it will carry 52 C-band and 72 Ku-band transponders which […]
Bruce Churchill, president of DirecTV Latin America, said its Sky Brazil subsidiary (93 per cent owned) has some 750,000 HDTV subscribers as at September 30. Sky Brazil’s total subs base now stands at 3.45 million subscribers. Its HDTV numbers account for 21.71 per cent of the total. Sky Brazil currently offers 39 high-def channels, plus […]
SES has signed a capacity and uplink agreement with M7 Group, the Luxembourg-based satellite television provider, for distribution via Astra’s 19.2 degrees East orbital position. The newly contracted capacity on 19.2 degrees East will be used for the DTH distribution of French speaking channels for the Belgian market, including the RTBF channels La Une and […]
The past few days have seen Eutelsat accused of deliberately jamming its own satellite signals to prevent certain Farsi-language channels being picked up in Iran. Eutelsat issued a strongly-worded denial of the accusations, saying: “Eutelsat categorically refutes recent reports that claim it is generating interference to its own satellites in order to prevent reception in […]
Freesat, the free satellite TV service, is launching its new advertising campaign: “Freesat. Satellite TV made easy.” Set to launch during I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here on Monday 21st November, the 30 second commercial runs until January 2012. Viewers will see the return of the Freesat 1 satellite space station orbiting earth and […]