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Sky Entertainment Services Launches In Brazil

Sky Entertainment Services Launches In Brazil

DALLAS, Texas, 96/10/30 (SJI Newswire) -- Sky Entertainment Services has
officially launched  its satellite-delivered (DTH) television service in
Brazil.  NET, the operating organisation for Sky's Brazilian service, is
jointly owned by Organizacoes Globo, The News Corporation, Ltd., and
Tele-Communications International, Inc.
Sky will shortly offer 40 channels and will expand up to 140 channels in
1997. Multishow, GNT, SporTV, GloboNews, Canal Fox, Fox Sports Americas and
Fox Kids will be exclusive to Sky for DTH distribution.  Other channels at
launch include: Telecine, Telecine 2, CNN, Cartoon Network, TNT, ESPN
International, USA, Teleuno, CBS/Telenoticias, Travel Channel, TV Eco,
Telehits, TVE, TV Senado, TV Sweepstake, Shoptime, RAI, TV Cultura,
Discovery Channel, Canal Rural, NHK, RTPI, Bloomberg, CNT and Deutsche
Welle.
Most Brazilians will be able to receive the satellite signal through a 60cm
dish antenna, decoder box and remote control.  They will be available to
the public for a suggested retail price of R$995 (US$925), with an average
monthly subscription price of R$40 (US$37) for the basic service.  The
equipment can be purchased at hundreds of retail outlets throughout Brazil.
Sky has made an initial purchase of 100,000 set-top integrated receiver
decoders (IRDs) from Pace Micro Technology plc, the UK-based electronics
giant. In addition, NET has entered into a transponder agreement with
PanAmSat Corporation.  The new service in Brazil will utilise four
transponders on the PAS-3 satellite initially.  In the longer term, the
PAS-6 satellite, scheduled for launch by the end of 1996, will devote 12
transponders for Brazilian subscribers. NET has used News Digital Systems
(NDS) to design and implement an integrated VideoGuard smartcard-based
conditional access system and MPEG-2 DVB broadcast and compression systems.


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