BBC Contracts for
Additional Astra Transponder
(11 July 2005) The BBC has
contracted for a further transponder from SES Astra, this time on the Astra 2A
satellite at 28.2° E.
The BBC, which already has six
Astra transponders on Astra 2B and 2D, will use the additional capacity to
reconfigure the satellite delivery of its portfolio of TV, radio and
interactive services.
Alexander Oudendijk, Astra’s Chief
Commercial Officer and Senior Vice President, said: "The BBC is a broadcasting
institution throughout the world, respected and admired for the diversity and
quality of its programming. Once again the BBC has decided to expand our
business relationship and we believe that this is in no small measure due to
our like-minded commitment to quality and service.”
The
BBC’s acting Controller of Distribution Richard Waghorn, said: “The
BBC aims to deliver its services across the UK on the platforms where our
audiences expect to find them, free-to-air. The new transponder will increase
our flexibility to meet our audiences’ changing aspirations for the
satellite platform. The BBC is pleased to be enhancing its long-standing
relationship with Astra who can provide world-class technical expertise and
experience, as well as proven security and back-up facilities."
About
SES Astra
The Astra Satellite System is the leading Direct-to-Home
(DTH) satellite system in Europe, delivering services to more than 102 million
Direct-to-Home and cable households. The Astra satellite fleet currently
comprises 12 satellites, transmitting in excess of 1400 analogue and digital
television and radio channels as well as multimedia and Internet services.
Astra's two prime orbital positions for DTH services are 19.2° East and
28.2° East. Professional services such as Direct-to cable (DTC), Satellite
Newsgathering (SNG) and Occasional Use are offered from the orbital position of
23.5° East. SES Astra is an SES Global company. SES Global wholly owns two
market-leading satellite operators, SES Astra in Europe, and SES Americom in
the US. The company also holds strategic participations in AsiaSat in Asia,
Star One and Nahuelsat in Latin America, and NSAB in Europe. SES Global can
provide outstanding satellite communications solutions via a fleet of 38
satellites across the globe.
About the BBC’s UK satellite
services
The BBC delivers its UK public services via analogue, digital
terrestrial, cable and satellite platforms; its public service radio stations
are also additionally delivered via DAB digital radio and online. In common
with the other platforms, satellite carries the BBC’s eight UK public
service television channels - BBC One in all its regional variants, BBC Two,
BBC Three, BBC Four, News 24, BBC Parliament, the CBBC Channel and CBeebies as
well as interactive services and simulcasts of all the BBC network radio
services, all free- to-air. In its blueprint for the future, Building Public
Value, the BBC has proposed enhancements of the digital services it offers the
public and flexibility to meet changing audience needs in the fast developing
digital world.
(source: SES Astra)