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

New Zealand - Freeview Eclipses 100,000 Milestone
Apr 14, 2008 – Freeview, the free-to-air digital television and radio platform, has announced that more than 100,000 Freeview capable receivers have been purchased.
News categories: Freeview NZ, Digital TV, Market Research, New Zealand, Satellite, Set Top Box, Terrestrial

ICO Launches New Era in Mobile Television
Apr 14, 2008 – ICO Global Communications (NASDAQ:ICOG) has announced that it has launched its North American geosynchronous satellite, ICO G1. ICO will use it to conduct alpha trials of its DVB-SH mobile video service (ICO mim™) later this year.
News categories: ICO Global, Automotive, Digital TV, Mobile, NABShow, Satellite, USA

A-VSB Initiative Demonstrates the First end-to-end ATSC-Compatible Mobile Broadcast TV Platform
Apr 14, 2008 – The A-VSB Initiative, whose members include Samsung Electronics, MobiTV, Nokia Siemens Networks, Rohde & Schwarz and SES AMERICOM's IP-PRIME®, announced a live demonstration of an end-to-end broadcast mobile TV platform at NAB.
News categories: Content Protection, Digital TV, Mobile, NABShow, Satellite

Irdeto Secures Long-Term Content Security Contract with Österreichische Rundfunksender (ORS)
Apr 14, 2008 – Irdeto (JSE: NPN) has announced a multi-year conditional access (CA) contract with Österreichische Rundfunksender (ORS) to protect the Austrian national broadcaster's satellite broadcast network with the Irdeto Digital TV content security solution.
News categories: Irdeto, ORS Österreichische Rundfunksender, Austria, CAM, Conditional Access, Digital TV, NABShow, Satellite

China - Cable DTV Achieves Rapid Development in 2007
Apr 11, 2008 – CCID Consulting (Hong Kong Stock Exchange: HK08235) has released the 2007-2008 China's DTV Industry Annual Report. In 2007, there were 13.052 million new DTV subscribers, increasing the quantity of China's DTV subscribers to 27.186 million.
News categories: CCID Consulting, Cable TV, China, Content Distribution, Digital TV, DTMB, IPTV, Market Research, Satellite, Terrestrial

Shaw Announces Second Quarter with Continued Subscriber Growth
Apr 11, 2008 – Shaw Communications (TSX - SJR.B, NYSE - SJR) has announced results for the second quarter ended February 29, 2008. Digital cable customers grew by 48,006 to 850,642. DTH (Star Choice) increased 4,977 customers to 886,106.
News categories: Shaw Communications, Cable TV, Canada, Digital TV, Results, Satellite, Set Top Box, Subscribers

NorDig releases HDTV specifications
Apr 10, 2008 – Nordig have released an addendum to the NorDig Unified Requirements specifying updated set-top box requirements for the reception of HDTV in cable, satellite, terrestrial and IP-based networks.
News categories: Nordig, Cable TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Satellite, Set Top Box, Terrestrial

High-definition viewing to reach 44 million homes by year-end
Apr 10, 2008 – According to an Informa Telecoms & Media report 'Global HDTV Forecasts 3rd Edition,' only 4% of global homes will actively watch HD programming by the end of this year. However, this means nearly 44 million active HD households.
News categories: Informa Telecoms & Media, Cable TV, Canada, China, Digital TV, France, Germany, India, IPTV, Italy, Japan, Korea, Market Research, Satellite, Subscribers, Terrestrial, UK, USA

Intelsat Distributes DTH Service to Colombia
Apr 10, 2008 – Intelsat has announced that Bogota-based Elite Entertainment Television S.A. has contracted a multi-year, multi-transponder deal with Intelsat to distribute DTH content to its customers in Colombia.
News categories: Intelsat, Colombia, Digital TV, Satellite