SES
ASTRA
Further
Extends
Its
Reach
in
Europe
18
March
2010
SES
ASTRA,
has
again
significantly
increased
its
reach
and
grown
the
number
of
digital
and
High
Definition
TV
households
on
the
ASTRA
satellite
system.
SES
ASTRA
is
now
broadcasting
to
125
million
TV
homes
across
Europe
and
North
Africa,
three
million
more
than
the
year
before.
For
the
first
time,
satellite
reaches
more
households
than
cable
in
Europe,
with
77
million
satellite
and
71
million
cable
households.
Terrestrial
infrastructures
reach
86.5
million
households;
however,
not
even
half
of
them
(48
percent)
are
digital.
The
digitalisation
rate
of
satellite
increased
to
92
percent,
with
a
total
of
71
million
out
of
the
77
million
satellite
households
being
digital.
Cable
still
shows
the
lowest
digitalisation
rate,
with
one
third
or
34
percent
(24
million)
of
all
71
million
cable
households
being
digital.
IPTV
is –
by
definition
–
100
percent
digitalised
and
reaches
nine
million
households
across
Europe.
In
High
Definition,
ASTRA
counts
around
six
million
HD
viewing
homes
and
currently
broadcasts
114
HD
channels.
The
success
of
HD
is
underpinned
by
the
high
number
of
HD
screens
sold
across
Europe.
125
million
HD
Ready
TV
sets
have
been
sold
since
the
start
of
HD
in
2005.
It
is
expected
that
by
2013,
an
estimated
55
million
households
will
be
equipped
with
both
an
HD
Ready
TV
set
and
a
suitable
HD
receiver.
Satellite
is
expected
to
remain
the
largest
distribution
platform
for
HD.
These
are
the
results
of
the
latest
SES
ASTRA
Satellite
Monitor,
conducted
in
29
European
and
North
African
countries,
and
based
on
almost
70,000
face-to-face
and
telephone
interviews.
The
methodology
and
the
results
are
controlled
by
independent
institutes
and
accepted
by
regulatory
bodies
as
objective
market
measurements.
“The
significant
increase
in
reach
and
the
success
of
SES
ASTRA
are
based
on a
stable
business
model
and
on
strong
drivers
which
allow
us
to
develop
our
business
despite
the
difficult
market
situation,”
says
Ferdinand
Kayser,
President
and
CEO
of
SES
ASTRA.
“The
underlying
dynamics
of
Western
European
key
markets,
and
the
growth
in
Eastern
Europe,
impressively
demonstrate
that
we
are
able
to
maintain
our
competitive
position
and
further
develop
our
reach,
in
technical
and
commercial
terms.
Whether
in
HD,
hybrid
reception
or
3D
TV,
we
are
extremely
well
positioned
to
play
a
leading
role
in
future
innovations.”
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