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

Globecast launches HOTBIRD platform with DW HD as first customer
Aug 27, 2019 – Globecast has announced a new HOTBIRD platform to satisfy growing demand generated by the move from SD to HD. Deutsche Welle (DW) is the first customer to take advantage, launching its English language HD channel via the service.
News categories: Globecast, Eutelsat, Deutsche Welle, Samuel Lemercier, Aymeric Genty, Hubert Czaja, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Europe, Middle-East, Satellite

Major U.S. pay-TV providers lost ~1.53 million subscribers in 2Q 2019
Aug 12, 2019 – According to the Leichtman Research Group (LRG), the largest pay-TV providers in the U.S. lost about 1,530,000 net video subscribers in 2Q 2019, compared to a pro forma net loss of about 420,000 subscribers in 2Q 2018.
News categories: Leichtman Research, Bruce Leichtman, Cable TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Satellite, Streaming, Subscribers, USA

Deutsche Telekom MagentaTV subscribers up 58,000 in 2Q 2019
Aug 8, 2019 – Deutsche Telekom has released results for the second quarter of 2019. In Germany, 58,000 new MagentaTV customers were recorded in the quarter, taking the total number to 3.477 million, an increase of 7.3 percent compared with June 2018.
News categories: Deutsche Telekom, Austria, Cable TV, Croatia, Czech Republic, Digital TV, Germany, Greece, Hungary, IPTV, Results, Romania, Satellite, Slovakia, Subscribers

AMOS-17 successfully launched
Aug 7, 2019 – Spacecom (Tel Aviv: SCC) has confirmed the successful launch of its AMOS-17 satellite en route to its 17°E orbital position. AMOS-17 has C-Band HTS, Ka-band and Ku-band capabilities. During the next weeks, the satellite will begin its testing processes in orbit.
News categories: Spacecom, David Pollack, Africa, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Satellite

Brazil pay TV subscribers down in 528k in 2Q 2019
Aug 2, 2019 – According to Anatel, Brazil's pay TV subscriber base ended June 2019 at 16.71 million, down 528 thousand subscribers in the quarter and down 1.23 million versus one year before.
News categories: Anatel, Brazil, Cable TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Satellite, Subscribers

Costa Rica TV subscriptions up 6.2% in 2018
Aug 1, 2019 – Costa Rica's Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (SUTEL) has releases statistics for the country's telecoms market in 2018. Costa Rica finished 2018 with 884,000 pay TV subscribers. The market grew by 52,000 (6.2%) over the year.
News categories: SUTEL, Cable TV, Costa Rica, Digital TV, IPTV, MMDS, Satellite, Subscribers

Over 750,000 subscribers for MTS Satellite TV in Russia
Aug 1, 2019 – Russian telecommunications operator MTS (NYSE: MBT, MOEX: MTSS), has announced that the subscriber base of its MTS Satellite TV service has increased by one and a half times compared with the first half of 2018 to reach 752,000.
News categories: MTS, Alexei Ivanov, Digital TV, Russia, Satellite, Subscribers

DISH activates Google Assistant on Hopper receivers
Jul 31, 2019 – DISH has began rolling out a software update on the company's Hopper family receivers that allows customers to access the Google Assistant via the DISH voice remote, The capability builds on the voice remote's existing ability to control the TV.
News categories: DISH Network, Google Assistant, Rob Sadler, Digital TV, Satellite, Set Top Box, Smart Home, USA

Ultra DTH chooses Eutelsat for Caribbean / Andean pay TV
Jul 31, 2019 – Ultra DTH has signed a multi-transponder agreement with Eutelsat (Paris: ETL) for capacity on EUTELSAT 65 West A to support the launch of a white label DTH platform across the Caribbean and the Andean region using the satellite's Ku-band coverage.
News categories: Eutelsat, Ultra DTH, Mike Antonovich, Ricardo Dias, Caribbean, Digital TV, Latin America, Satellite