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TS News - Sky Entertainment Services Launches In Brazil

TELE-satellit News, 1 November 1996

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.

  By: Gary Torrens
  Source: Satellite Journal

(c)TELE-satellit 1996. All rights reserved.
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