Intelsat announces new European contracts
Apr 25, 2011 3:25 PM, By Philip Hunter
Intelsat’s global coverage provides five so-called video neighborhoods, including North America, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East, Europe and Asia.
Intelsat, the Luxembourg-based provider of global fixed-satellite services, has inked new contracts with media customers around the world, including Viacom, Telefónica and GlobeCast in Europe. The agreements provide each broadcaster with the ability to deliver content to audiences on a national, continental or global level through one or more of Intelsat’s premium video neighborhoods. There are five such neighborhoods, covering North America, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East, Europe and Asia. The neighborhoods are served by 26 media satellites that distribute nearly 300 global HD channels and host more than 30 DTH platforms in approximately 200 countries.
The video neighborhoods are fully integrated with Intelsat’s IntelsatONEIP/MPLS-based terrestrial network, including its managed multiple channel per carrier (MCPC) services, which enable smaller broadcasters and content producers to distribute SD and HD material to any desired target region. MCPC provides access to Intelsat’s premier video satellite platforms with large viewing communities and supports cable as well as direct-to-home (DTH) distribution across the world in all five of Intelsat’s video neighborhoods.
In Europe, Viacom’s MTV Networks has signed a multiyear contract for Intelsat managed video services that includes capacity at 1 degree west, terrestrial connectivity via the IntelsatONE network and uplink service via Intelsat's Fuchsstadt teleport. MTV Networks will use the managed services to consolidate channel programming into one platform over Central and Eastern Europe.
Eastern Space Systems Romania is also expanding its existing portfolio at Intelsat 1 degree west through two new multiyear contracts for capacity that will enable video distribution to cable headends and DTH platforms in Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Hungary, Macedonia and other Central and Eastern European countries. Intelsat’s 1 degree west is one of Europe’s fastest-growing video distribution platforms, serving nearly 5 million DTH households and more than 10 million cable homes throughout Central and Eastern Europe and the Nordic region.
Telefónica Servicios Audiovisuales (TSA), the broadcast unit of Spain’s Telefónica telecommunication conglomerate, has signed an agreement for capacity on the Intelsat 905 satellite (IS-905), located at 335.5 degrees east. The IS-905 transmits high-demand, Spanish-language programming from leading broadcasters to thousands of cable headends throughout Europe.
Finally, France Telecom media distribution subsidiary GlobeCast recently added new capacity under a long-term agreement on the Intelsat 903 European video neighborhood at 325.5 degrees east.
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