AsiaSat 6 to provide video services in China

HONG KONG — AsiaSat 6, AsiaSat’s latest broadcast satellite for the China market, has received a permit to provide video services in Mainland China.

The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of The People’s Republic of China (SAPPRFT) has recently given permission for AsiaSat 6 to serve Chinese broadcasters for video distribution to cable headends in China. Shanghai Interactive Television Co., Ltd. (SiTV), a subsidiary of Shanghai Oriental Pearl Media Co., Ltd. has signed a contract with CITICSat, who holds the exclusive right to market AsiaSat 6 capacity in China to broadcast 10 High Definition (HD) pay TV channels.

“AsiaSat satellites have been serving this market with high-quality satellite services since 1990. This new permit marks a major breakthrough for AsiaSat with our re-entry into the video services market in China. We are thrilled to work alongside CITICSat in offering broadcast clients in China a better choice for high quality satellite capacity to support advanced HD broadcasting,” said William Wade, President and CEO of AsiaSat.

“We welcome SiTV on board AsiaSat as they become the first in a list of future Chinese broadcast customers. With their service launch later in January, AsiaSat 6 is able to provide strong support for the development of HD broadcasting in China.”

AsiaSat 6, an advanced Space Systems/Loral 1300 series satellite, is designed to provide excellent power and region-wide coverage at its nominal orbital location of 120 degrees East. With its high-powered C-band transponders and a design life of 15 years, AsiaSat 6 offers high quality capacity to the growing China video market.