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

Russia - Tricolor TV DTH reaches 3 million subscribers
Oct 21, 2008 – The number of subscribers to Russia's Trikolor TV satellite DTH service has reached three million, after passing the 1 million mark only in January this year. Tricolor is signing up households at a rate of 7000 per day.
News categories: Tricolor TV, Digital TV, Russia, Satellite, Subscribers

Global DVR homes to quadruple over the next five years
Oct 21, 2008 – The long-anticipated DVR/PVR sales boom is finally happening. Equipment prices have fallen rapidly - so much so that many platforms feel comfortable about offering subsidized or even free boxes, according to a report from Informa Telecoms & Media.
News categories: Informa Telecoms & Media, Cable TV, Digital TV, DVR, IPTV, Market Research, Satellite, Set Top Box, Terrestrial

MTG Results for Period Ending 30 September 2008
Oct 21, 2008 – Modern Times Group MTG AB (OMX Nordic: MTGA, MTGB) has announced its financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended 30 September 2008. Viasat Broadcasting's net sales were up 14% y-o-y to SEK 2,308 million.
News categories: Modern Times Group, Denmark, DVR, Finland, IPTV, Norway, Results, Satellite, Subscribers, Sweden, Ukraine

BIG TV gains 500,000 subscribers within two months of launch to emerge as fastest growing DTH player in India
Oct 20, 2008 – BIG TV (Bombay:532712) has announced that it has touched the magic figure of 500,000 subscribers within two months of its launch. This has put BIG TV DTH in the unique position of being the fastest growing DTH player in India.
News categories: Reliance Communications, BIG TV DTH, Digital TV, India, Satellite, Subscribers

HD Channels On ASTRA Increase By 30 Percent In Three Months
Oct 20, 2008 – SES ASTRA (Paris and Luxembourg: SESG) has announced that the number of HD channels broadcast via the ASTRA Satellite System has increased significantly in the last three months. At the beginning of October, the number of HD channels reached 55.
News categories: SES ASTRA, Austria, Belgium, Content Distribution, Czech Republic, Denmark, Digital TV, Finland, France, Germany, Market Research, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Satellite, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, UK

India - Ministry moves on satellite set-top box interoperability
Oct 20, 2008 – The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has asked the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to draft norms for advanced DTH set-top boxes, including related to interoperability of the boxes.
News categories: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Bureau of Indian Standards, India, Regulation, Satellite, Set Top Box

98.9% of television viewers in Bahrain own a satellite TV dish
Oct 19, 2008 – Arab Advisors' new survey in Bahrain, revealed that FTA Sat TV is quite popular while sports content is a main driver for Pay TV subscriptions. The survey revealed that 95.5% of people over 15 years in Bahrain watch TV.
News categories: Arab Advisors, Bahrain, Market Research, Satellite, Subscribers

Pakistan Television considering DTH
Oct 19, 2008 – Encouraged by the success of direct-to-home (DTH) services in India, Pakistan Television Corporation Ltd, the country's national broadcaster, has invited national and international firms to help it set up its own DTH service with 100 channels.
News categories: Pakistan Television Corp, Digital TV, Pakistan, Satellite

Canal+ launches +LE CUBE designer set-top box
Oct 16, 2008 – CANAL+ (Paris: VIV) has launched a new internet-connected HD satellite PVR called +LE CUBE. Designed by fuseproject, +LE CUBE has a gyroscopic sensor that enables the display to rotate allowing it to be used in both a horizontal and vertical position.
News categories: Canal+, fuseproject, Digital TV, DVR, France, Satellite, Set Top Box