Advanced Television

DTH/Satellite

SES raises $1bn

SES has taken advantage of the improving conditions in the market by raising $1 billion in the USA in fresh borrowings. It has issued two sets of so-called ‘Yankee’ bonds, due for repayment in 2023 and 2043. The precise terms will see $750 million raised in 3.600 per cent notes due in 2023 at a […]

March 27, 2013By Chris Forrester

Eutelsat and Arabsat resolve dispute

The long-running dispute between Eutelsat and Arabsat over the 25.5/26 degrees East orbital slot is on its way to being resolved. The argument has drawn in Qatar and largely revolves around frequencies claimed by Iran over its Zohreh-2 (non-existent) satellite. A decision has been pressing for some years, and made all the more dramatic by […]

March 26, 2013By Chris Forrester

Another DTH platform for Georgia

Georgia seems to be going the way of Romania in having an excess of would-be satellite operators. JSC Global, a Tbilisi–based media company, says it has signed a multi-year lease with Eutelsat in order to launch a new DTH pay-TV bouquet for Georgia, “its surrounding regions and as far as Western Europe”. JSC will use […]

March 25, 2013By Chris Forrester

Amazonas 3 ready for work

Hispasat’s giant Amazonas 3 satellite, which launched on February 7th, is ready to be formally put to work. Test transmissions have gone well and the transfer of some of Amazonas 1’s channels will begin in a few days at the 61 degrees West orbital slot. Amazonas 3 was launched on board of rocket Ariane 5 […]

March 25, 2013By Chris Forrester

Spacecom adds 8th DTH platform on AMOS-5

Spacecom the operator of the AMOS satellite fleet, has confirmed that DAAR Communications has launched DAARSAT, its satellite TV service, on the AMOS-5 satellite located at the 17°E prime orbital position. DAARSAT is the eighth Nigerian DTH service on AMOS-5. DAARSAT is now available to all of Nigeria as a stand-alone digital TV service. It […]

March 21, 2013

Nagra man new Freesat CTO

UK’s Freesat has announced the appointment of Matthew Huntington as the company’s Chief Technology Officer. In his new role, Huntingdon will drive and deliver Freesat’s future facing technology roadmap. As well as leading the team to ensure smooth running of existing services, he will be responsible for defining ground breaking specifications, selecting innovative technology suppliers, […]

March 20, 2013

Intelsat raises $1.5bn debt swap

Intelsat, widely expected to announce an IPO about now, has offered the market $1.5 billion-worth of senior notes via its Intelsat Luxembourg subsidiary. The notes will be guaranteed by Intelsat itself, and are due for redemption by 2021. The proceeds will be used to pay down $915 million of existing debt (in the form of […]

March 20, 2013By Chris Forrester

SingTel put Optus sats up for sale

Owner Singapore Telecom (SingTel) is putting its Optus satellite division up for sale and hopes to attract interest from infrastructure and super funds interested in long term investments with a steady revenue stream. Credit Suisse and Morgan Stanley will handle the sale worth around A$2 billion. The satellite business had revenues of A$319m for the […]

March 20, 2013By Chris Forrester

ART/International Network distribution extends agreement with Intelsat in the Americas

Intelsat, a global provider of satellite services, announced a multi-year extension agreement with Lebanon-based ART/International Network Distribution (IND), the leading aggregator and distributor of niche and international channels in the global market. ART/IND has extended its agreement on the Intelsat 21 satellite, located at 302° East, for the contribution and distribution of its key programming […]

March 20, 2013

SES reaches 276m homes globally

SES CEO Romain Bausch used the giant Washington Satellite 2013 show to unveil the satellite operator’s latest viewing numbers, saying that as at December 31st it reached some 276 million homes worldwide, up 17 million on the previous year. The growth was helped by “strong gains” in Germany and especially India. India, in particular, saw […]

March 19, 2013From Chris Forrester in Washington