MultiChoice Hellas
Renews Eutelsat Hot Bird Capacity To 2020 And Takes Fifth Hot Bird
Transponder
(6 May 2008) MultiChoice Hellas that
operates Nova, the leading pay-TV platform in Greece and Cyprus, today
announced the renewal to 2020 of its satellite capacity at the Hot Bird video
neighbourhood operated by Eutelsat Communications.
Via Syned,
the leading satellite service provider in Greece, MultiChoice Hellas has also
inked a new contract with Eutelsat for a fifth transponder for Nova. The
additional capacity will be activated at the end of 2008 in order to support
the expansion of digital pay-TV services, including HDTV.
Launched from
Eutelsat's Hot Bird neighbourhood in 1999, Nova delivers television, radio and
interactive services in Greece and Cyprus to over 350,000 subscribers. The
platform includes a comprehensive selection of Greek and international
channels, including custom-packaged premium movie and sports
channels.
"Eutelsat has provided the resource for us to expand from our
neighbourhood of choice since we launched Nova in 1999. We see great potential
for ongoing growth and are very pleased to renew our relationship with Eutelsat
to 2020," said George Gabritsos, Managing Director of NETMED SA and General
Manager of Syned.
"Since its launch from our Hot Bird neighbourhood Nova
has emerged as a key player in the Greek broadcasting landscape. Eutelsat is
delighted to partner the expansion of Greece's only pay-TV package through
additional capacity on our Hot Bird satellites which provide high-power
broadcast coverage across mainland Greece, Greek islands and Cyprus as well as
access to a wide array of free-to-air channels," said Olivier Millies-Lacroix,
Eutelsat's Commercial Director.
About MultiChoice Hellas
Since
1994, Multichoice Hellas S.A. has developed activities centred on the provision
of pay-TV services. Exploiting the expertise of the MIH Group to which it
belongs, it has played a leading role over the last 11 years in the development
of pay TV in Greece. Since December 1999 MultiChoice, a license holder for the
provision of satellite-delivered pay-TV and radio programmes, offers Greek
subscribers the most popular pay-TV programmes and channels in the world, with
digital quality, through Nova, the first digital satellite television platform
in Greece. The richness of programmes and services in the Nova platform offers
viewers a great variety of choices, 24 hours a day.
About Eutelsat
Communications
Eutelsat Communications is the holding company of
Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 24 satellites that provide
coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East,
Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, Eutelsat is one
of the world's three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues. At 31
December 2007, Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting almost 3,000 television
channels and 1,100 radio stations. More than 1,100 channels broadcast via its
Hot Bird video neighbourhood at 13 degrees East which serves over 120 million
cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The
Group's satellites also serve a wide range of fixed and mobile
telecommunications services, TV contribution markets, corporate networks, and
broadband markets for Internet Service Providers and for transport, maritime
and in-flight markets. Eutelsat's broadband subsidiary, Skylogic, markets and
operates services through teleports in France and Italy that serve enterprises,
local communities, government agencies and aid organisations in Europe, Africa,
Asia and the Americas. Headquartered in Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries
employ 538 commercial, technical and operational experts from 27
countries.
(source: Eutelsat Communications)
