MILAN & LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SES ASTRA, an SES company (Paris:SESG)(LuxX:SESG), announced today that it has signed an agreement with Italian network operator Tivuitalia for capacity on its 31.5 degrees East orbital position. Tivuitalia will use the capacity for contribution services, enabling the transmission of digital TV and radio signals to its digital terrestrial network in Italy.
In addition to capacity for digital terrestrial transmission (DTT), SES ASTRA will also provide satellite-based broadband services for remote monitoring and control of digital terrestrial transmitters using its innovative broadband service ASTRA2Connect. The terrestrial transmitters, part of Tivuitalia's digital terrestrial network, will be connected to Tivuitalia's operational premises via the ASTRA2Connect broadband platform.
Norbert Hölzle, Chief Commercial Officer of SES ASTRA, said: "We are very pleased to have signed this agreement with Tivuitalia which marks our breakthrough in the Italian market. Offering broadcasting services from our 31.5 degrees East orbital position allows us to combine them with services from orbital position 19.2 degrees East, which also covers Italy, and thus develop an attractive offer for broadcasters in the Italian market. The agreement with Tivuitalia shows that our market strategy is bearing fruit."
Antonio Mazzara, Chief Executive Officer of Tivuitalia said: “We are convinced that SES ASTRA, being a new entrant in the Italian market that offers an excellent service quality, is a perfect partner for the development of our business. SES ASTRA offers a comprehensive end-to-end solution, for both contribution and monitoring services that allows Tivuitalia to deliver its customers an outstanding service for the transmission of programmes in the DTT market.”
About SES ASTRA
SES ASTRA is the leading Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite system in Europe. The satellite fleet currently comprises 16 satellites which deliver services to more than 125 million households and transmit more than 2,600 television and radio channels. SES ASTRA also provides satellite-based multimedia, internet and telecommunication services to enterprises, governments and their agencies. With 190 High Definition (HD) channels, ASTRA is the most important HDTV platform for Europe's leading broadcasters. The orbital positions for SES ASTRA are 19.2 degrees East, 28.2 degrees East, 23.5 degrees East, 5 degrees East and 31.5 degrees East. For further information: www.ses-astra.com.
About SES
SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) wholly owns the market-leading satellite operators SES ASTRA and SES WORLD SKIES, and participations in Ciel in Canada, QuetzSat in Mexico as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks. SES provides outstanding satellite communications solutions via a global fleet of 44 satellites. For further information: www.ses.com
About Tivuitalia
Tivuitalia SpA is an Italy-based company engaged in the media sector. The Company is a subsidiary of Screen Service Broadcasting Technology SpA. Leveraging on its digital TV network and IP backbone assets, Tivuitalia operates one Digital TV Multiplex throughout the entire Italian country. Tivuitalia conveys TV channels of Broadcasters and Media companys on its Digital TV Multiplex, allowing fast and cost effective introduction of new TV channels in the Italian Digital Terrestrial TV market."