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

Seeafrika Pan-African satellite TV service launched
Feb 20, 2015 – Canal Holding has announced the launch of its Pan-African satellite TV service, Seeafrika. Seeafrika is available with a dish and set-top box in Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger. The service is also available worldwide as an OTT service over the internet.
News categories: Seeafrika, Benin, Burkina Faso, Digital TV, Niger, Satellite, Set Top Box, Streaming

DVB fosters licensing program for DVB-S2X patents
Feb 19, 2015 – DVB has announced that it is fostering the formation of a licensing program covering patents essential to the DVB-S2 Extensions (DVB-S2X) specification. The initial meeting of holders of DVB-S2X technology is scheduled for March 25th.
News categories: DVB Project, Carter Eltzroth, DVB-S2, Licensing, Patent, Satellite, Worldwide

DIRECTV US up 149,000 subscribers; DTVLA up 118,000 in 4Q 2014
Feb 19, 2015 – DIRECTV (NASDAQ:DTV) has reported fourth quarter 2014 results. DIRECTV U.S. added 149,000 subscribers, Sky Brasil lost 1,000 subscribers and the remainder of Latin America added 119,000 subscribers in the quarter.
News categories: DIRECTV, DIRECTV Latin America, Sky Brasil, Sky Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Caribbean, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Latin America, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Results, Satellite, Subscribers, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela

Global pay TV middleware market to exceed $2 billion by 2020
Feb 18, 2015 – The surge in Internet protocol (IP)-enabled video consumption devices such as smart TVs, smartphones and tablets is compelling pay TV middleware solution providers to deliver a unified multiscreen experience to viewers, according to Frost & Sullivan.
News categories: Frost & Sullivan, Hiral Jasani, Cable TV, Content Distribution, Digital TV, IPTV, Market Research, Middleware, Satellite, Set Top Box, TV Everywhere, Worldwide

Intelsat and Azercosmos partner for satellite at 45°E
Feb 17, 2015 – Intelsat (NYSE: I) and Azercosmos, the national satellite operator of Azerbaijan, have announced that the two companies have signed a strategic agreement at the 45°E orbital position. The companies will collaborate on the design of the Azerspace-2/Intelsat 38 satellite.
News categories: Intelsat, Azercosmos, Stephen Spengler, Rashad Nabiyev, Azerbaijan, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Satellite

More than 3 million households for Germany's HD+
Feb 17, 2015 – SES (Paris; Luxembourg: SESG) has announced that its German HD platform HD+ continued to grow successfully in 2014, reaching more than three million households at the end of the year.
News categories: SES S.A, HD+, Cable TV, Digital TV, Germany, IPTV, Market Research, Satellite, Subscribers

Paraguay adds 59,000 pay TV subscribers in 1H 2014
Feb 16, 2015 – Paraguay’s telecoms services regulator, CONATEL, has released telecommunications statistics for the country for the first half of 2014. Paraguay ended the half with 405 thousand pay TV subscribers, up from 293 thousand at the end of June 2013.
News categories: CONATEL, Cable TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Market Research, Paraguay, Satellite, Subscribers

Global pay TV subscriber base to pass 924.4 million in 2014
Feb 13, 2015 – The worldwide pay-TV market is expected to grow 5% in 2014, surpassing 924.4 million subscribers according to ABI Research. IPTV is expected to grow by a market-leading 14%.
News categories: ABI Research, Jake Saunders, Cable TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Market Research, Satellite, Subscribers, Worldwide

SES brings Ultra HD demo channel to the UK and Ireland
Feb 12, 2015 – SES (Paris; Luxembourg: SESG) has announced that its Ultra High Definition (UHD) demonstration channel is now available in the UK and Ireland. Broadcast via ASTRA 2E, the content is broadcast using the DVB UHD-1 Phase 1 signalling and is encoded in HEVC Main 10.
News categories: SES S.A, Mike Chandler, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Ireland, Satellite, UK