SES Astra announced today that it has signed a long-term agreement with M7 Group for two additional transponders at 23.5 degrees East. The newly contracted capacity will be used for the further extension of the HDTV lineup of CanalDigitaal, M7 Group’s direct-to-home (DTH) platform for the Dutch market and will bring the number of total transponders contracted by M7 Group at this orbital position to four.
The Luxembourg-based M7 Group provides DTH-services in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg using the brand names CanalDigitaal, TV Vlaanderen and TéléSAT. Following the agreement, CanalDigitaal will launch a broad range of new HD channels from mid-February onwards, including HD channels from the Dutch public broadcaster NPO, and commercial broadcasters RTL and SBS.
As a result, the CanalDigitaal HD channel lineup for the Dutch market will more than double over the next three months. In addition to the four transponders now contracted by M7 Group at 23.5 degrees, M7 Group currently also operates four transponders at the ASTRA 19.2 degrees East position. By using an Astra Duo LNB, Dutch DTH homes are capable of receiving programmes from both orbital positions via a single fixed dish.
(Sourcce: SES Astra)
