_default _146_pages.indd - TELE-satellite International Magazine

would include three English Premier League football
matches each week, as well as hit TV shows.
DU TO LAUNCH HDTV IN 2010
du launched a pay-TV service in the UAE whose
star attraction is undoubtedly HDTV. Currently HD
channels like National Geographic HD, myZen
TV, Luxe TV and Showtime HD are available
as part of the suite of Free-to-Air channels at
no extra charge until 31 July, 2009. The du TV
service is powered by the IPTV software platform
Microsoft Mediaroom. The basic packagte
includes more than 130 channels from around
the world in different genres and subscribers
will also have access to pay-TV bouquets from
Showtime, Orbit Pehla, Firstnet, ART and JSTV.
ABU DHABI HD TO ARRIVE IN OCTOBER
Abu Dhabi Media Company plans to launch its
high-definition cable television channel in October.
Abu Dhabi HD will feature programmes including
English Premier League football matches, documentaries
from National Geographic Abu Dhabi,
drama and film – all in high definition. The channel
will be available through E-Vision, Etisalat’s cable
television provider, to UAE viewers with compatible
high-definition sets and set-top boxes.
A F R I C A
INTELSAT AND CONVERGENCE
PLAN NEW SATELLITE
New Dawn is a joint initiative between Intelsat
and Convergence Partners that aims to build and
launch a new satellite that will service the African
continent’s demand for communication infrastructure
and to address current capacity constraints.
The satellite is expected to cost US$ 250 million
with African institutions contributing 90% of the
total financing required. The satellite is likely to be
known as Intelsat New Dawn and will be placed
in a 33° west orbit. New Dawn is expected to be
launched towards the end of this year and will
become operational by the first quarter, 2010.
SOUTH AFRICA
MULTICHOICE TO LAUNCH IPTV
SOLUTION IN OCTOBER
MultiChoice will release a commercial version
of its IPTV solution in October. The offering will
be streamed over the company’s normal satellite
connection to a server at a hotel or gated
community, where the signal will be converted
for packet transfer over the network. Users will
have to buy a decoder with an Ethernet port
that will then convert the data for TV viewing.
MultiChoice says it has not finalised the costs for
the new decoders, but promises that the price
of the STB will be under US$ 100 (R736).
W O R L D
INTELSAT AWARDS SATELLITE
CONTRACT TO BOEING
Boeing has won a four-satellite contract from
Intelsat, the first order for Boeing’s large
702B satellite series. The four Boeing 702B
telecommunication satellites to be built will
offer C- and Ku-band capacity to distribute
video, network and voice services from Asia
and Africa to the Americas and Europe.
IPTV SUBSCRIBERS TO GROW
TO 155 MILLION BY 2013
The number of IPTV subscribers worldwide
more than doubled in 2008 to reach 26 million,
and is predicted to surge to around 155 million
by 2013, according to a new report from
Infonetics Research. The report also indicates
that IP set-top box sales will grow at an average
of 14% annually between 2008 and 2013.
By the end of the period, service providers are
expected to derive about US$ 56 billion worldwide
from IPTV services. The only region to
have seen growth in IPTV revenue was Central
and Latin America, according to the report.
ITU GIVES INITIAL APPROVAL
TO NEW IPTV STANDARD
The International Telecommunications Union
(ITU) has given first-stage approval to a new
standard that enables an IPTV end-user to locate
and subscribe to content coming from different,
independent service providers. Recommendation
ITU-T H.770 describes the mechanisms for
service provider discovery, service discovery
and selection. The ITU relates that it believes
the new standard will “enable a greater deal
of choice for end-users and will help service
providers offer a more competitive package”.
MTV EXPANDS GLOBAL HD COVERAGE
MTV Networks is to launch its international
HD channel in Austria, Brazil, Croatia, Italy,
Mexico, Peru, Portugal and Spain by the end
of the year. MTVNHD started broadcasting last
autumn and is already available in 21 countries.
IPTV WITH 40 MILLION
SUBSCRIBERS IN 2009
The number of subscribers worldwide to IPTV
services will approach 40 million by year-end
2009, according to international research
firm Parks Associates. It is estimated that the
number of IPTV households worldwide grew
by nearly 80% in 2008 to exceed 20 million.
The growth rate will exceed 50% in 2009.
www.TELE-satellite.com — 10-11/2009 — TELE-satellite — Broadband & Fiber-Optic
113