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Sat-UK-News #266 26.06.98: Sky Digital, Sirius 3
Sat-UK-News Report #266:
- Channels up and running in Sky Digital
- Sirius 3 to be leased to SES
Friday 26.06.98
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Email: dsedghi@TELE-Satellite.com OR dominic@bigrp.demon.co.uk
UK Satellite Control: http://www.sat-net.com/uk-satellite/
And now the news:
---------- Channels up and running in Sky Digital
For some channels tests are over and normal transmissions seem to have
begun. These include CNE - Chinese News & Entertainment, which has
already been offering its customers digital receiver and dish setups for
28.2 degrees east for some time now. CNE is in the clear and is still
broadcasting form 00.00 to 04.00. Other channels which *seem* to have
started are Nickelodeon, which is encrypted with teletext service,
Granada Plus and Granada Men & Motors, also encrypted, as well as Sky's
new Box Office Previews Channel, which has now been encrypted for a
couple of days.
Sky have started making a fuss of Sky Digital now, having reported on
it numerous times on Sky News; they have recently put an article
concerning the new packages in July's Sky TV Guide. More details will be
announced in the August guide. Does this mean an August start date? When
I phoned up the Sky Digital inquiries line, they told me they could send
me an information pack which would arrive before the end of July. It
looks like an August 1st start date for Sky Digital.
---------- Sirius 3 to be leased to SES
Sirius 3, owned by NSAB, will be launch on October 3rd of this year if
all goes well. However, it will not be going to 5.2 degrees east as
expected. NSAB has said that market demand for transponders in the
Nordic region is not quite as high as expected; consequently, Sirius 3
will not be needed for another year now! (This is quite evident - only
just over half of Sirius 2's transponder have been filled). Instead,
Sirius 3 will be leased for a year to SES, the operators of the Astra
satellite systems.
Sirius 3 will upon launch be moved to 28.2 degrees east to provide
back-up for Astra 2A (to be launched on August 25th), as well as make
available extra transponders for extra data and multiplexing services
for the UK and Ireland. Upon the completion of the contract on October
1st 1999, Sirius 3 will be moved to 5.2 degrees east where it will
replace Sirius 1 and broadcast digital television and multimedia
services to Scandinavia.
Comments Mr. Romain Bausch, Director General and Chairman of the
Management Committee of SES: "We welcome the agreement reached between
NSAB and SES, which will benefit both parties. Beyond developing a
second orbital position and providing SES' clients with a secured fleet
configuration from the start of operations, this agreement represents a
significant first step in SES' strategy of strengthening the Company's
cooperation with regional satellite operators." Klas Änggård, Chairman
of NSAB concurs: "We also welcome the agreement reached between our two
companies including the potential for further cooperation. Through the
agreement we have secured effective and economical use of Sirius 3
during the first year. It is simply good business for both parties."
All contents (C) 1998 Dominic Sedghi, except where indicated. All rights
reserved. Contents may be
reproduced providing the following is included: "Provided by Sat-UK, a
part of TELE-Satellite".
Information is subject to change and/or may be incorrect.
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