Satellite Television (DBS, DTH, DSat, DVB-S, DVB-S2) News

SES-9 launch expected on February 24, 2016
Feb 8, 2016 – SES (Paris; Luxembourg: SESG) has announced that it is targeting a 24 February 2016 launch date for its SES-9 satellite. SES-9 will be positioned at 108.2°E to provide capacity for a video neighbourhood over Asia.
News categories: SES S.A, Asia, Content Distribution, Indonesia, Philippines, Satellite

Mexico adds 437,000 pay TV subscribers in 3Q 2015
Feb 8, 2016 – According to Mexico’s Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones, in the third quarter of 2015, pay TV subscriptions in the country were up 11.6% versus the the same point one year before. Mexico added 437 thousand pay TV subscribers in the third quarter, to reach a total of 17.4 million.
News categories: Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones, Cable TV, Mexico, Satellite, Subscribers

81% of US households have a DVR, Netflix, or use VOD
Feb 5, 2016 – According to Leichtman Research (LRG), 81% of US households have a DVR, get Netflix, or use on-Demand (VOD) from a cable or Telco provider -- with 30% of households using two of the services, and 13% using all three.
News categories: Leichtman Research, Bruce Leichtman, Cable TV, Digital TV, DVR, IPTV, Market Research, Satellite, Streaming, USA

Spain's Pay TV subscribers down 44,000 in 2Q 2015
Feb 5, 2016 – Spain’s Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) has published telecommunications and audiovisual statistics for the country for the second quarter of 2015. In the quarter, total pay TV subscribers fell by 44,000 to 5.35 million, driven by a 150,000 reduction in satellite TV subscribers.
News categories: CNMC, Cable TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Satellite, Spain, Subscribers, Terrestrial

Videocon d2h launches connected set-top box
Feb 5, 2016 – Videocon d2h (NASDAQ, USA: VDTH) has launched its HD SMART Set top Box (Connected Set top box). The box converts an existing LED TV into a Smart TV as well as showing more than 500 Channels and services in High Definition and Standard Definition.
News categories: Videocon d2h, Saurabh Dhoot, Anil Khera, Digital TV, India, Satellite, Set Top Box

STB shipments to SAARC region grew 52% in 2015
Feb 4, 2016 – Set-Top-Box shipments into the SAARC region has witnessed robust year-on-year growth of 52% during 2015, according to Dataxis. In 2015, 22.3 million STBs were shipped in the SAARC region, compared to a 14 million STBs in 2014.
News categories: Dataxis, Anusha S, Bangladesh, Cable TV, Digital TV, India, Market Research, Nepal, Pakistan, Satellite, Set Top Box, Sri Lanka

Freesat now available in 1.93 million homes
Feb 4, 2016 – Freesat has announced a strong final quarter to 2015, with the addition of 36,000 new homes in the three months to December 2015. After adding 61,000 homes over the course of 2015, Freesat is now available in over 1.93 million households in the UK.
News categories: Freesat, Alistair Thom, Results, Satellite, Set Top Box, UK

Dish TV India adds 317,000 net subscribers in 4Q 2015
Feb 3, 2016 – Dish TV India (BSE: 532839, NSE: DISHTV) has reported third quarter fiscal 2016 results. Dish TV added 317 thousand net subscribers during the quarter bringing its total subscriber base to 14.0 million.
News categories: Dish TV India, Jawahar Goel, India, Results, Satellite, Subscribers

GS Group releases first Russian 4K Ultra HD set-top box
Feb 1, 2016 – GS Group has announced its GS A230, the first Russian digital TV set-top box to support Ultra HD (4K) broadcasting. The new model, under the General Satellite brand, means that 4K video content can now be viewed on modern Ultra HD TV-sets.
News categories: GS Group, Andrew Bezrukov, CSTB, Digital TV, Russia, Satellite, Set Top Box