Satellite Technology Feature Article
November 25, 2009
SES ASTRA Enters into Cooperation with Milano Teleport
By Anil Sharma, TMCnet Contributor
SES ASTRA, a SES company reportedly has entered into a partnership with Italian broadcast and network service provider Milano Teleport to offer capacity to Italian broadcasters.
According to SES (News - Alert) ASTRA officials, Milano Teleport intends to use the capacity to provide transmission services to local and regional channels, as well as to ethnic channels that want to reach out to their particular target group and extend their coverage beyond terrestrial transmission following the completion of the terrestrial analog switch-off in 2012.
The company officials said that the partnership with Milano Teleport adds another element to SES ASTRA’s strategy to position itself as an alternative satellite operator in Italy.
It follows cooperation agreements with public broadcaster RAI, housing industry association Anaci and installer training school Eurosatellite.
“We are very pleased to join a competent and strong partner like Milano Teleport to offer end-to-end solutions to broadcasters in Italy. Together with our partners, we are looking forward to further grow our business and service offering in Italy,” said Alexander Oudendijk, chief commercial officer of SES ASTRA, in a statement.
SES ASTRA is a Direct-to-Home satellite system in Europe. The satellite fleet currently comprises 13 ASTRA and two SIRIUS satellites. The company today reaches 1.9 million households in Italy via its 19.2 degrees East orbital position and offers more than 330 international free-to-air channels, including 270 only on ASTRA.
With its new orbital position at 23.5 degrees East, SES ASTRA intends to bring additional capacity and programme choice to the Italian market. Most recently, SES ASTRA launched Italy’s first HD demo channel featuring RAI content on 23.5 degrees East.
Pietro Guerrieri, managing director of Milano teleport, said that taking part in the development of a new satellite platform for DTH broadcasting in Italy is a very exciting commitment for the company.
“We are delighted to be taking up this challenge in partnership with SES ASTRA which is acknowledged as a key player in the satellite business in Europe,” said Guerrieri.
Milano Teleport operates the first established independent teleport in Italy.
Anil Sharma is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Anil’s articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Michael Dinan
