M7 Group Contracts Fifth Transponder on ASTRA 23.5 East

1 March 2011 

SES ASTRA,  has signed a long-term agreement with M7 Group for an additional transponder on ASTRA 23.5 East. The capacity will be used for the continued transmission of Dutch regional broadcasters as well as for additional High Definition (HD) services.

The Luxembourg-based M7 Group provides Direct-to-Home-services (DTH) to more than one million homes in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria using the brand names CanalDigitaal, TV Vlaanderen, TéléSAT and AustriaSat.

This agreement represents already the fifth ASTRA 23.5 East transponder that M7 Group contracted with SES ASTRA since the introduction of ASTRA 23.5 East in 2007 as new Direct-to-Home hot spot for the Benelux market. In addition, M7 Group operates four transponders at ASTRA 19.2 East.

Thanks to the successful introduction in 2007 of the ASTRA Duo LNB for the simultaneous reception of ASTRA 19.2 East and ASTRA 23.5 East, the vast majority of DTH homes in the Benelux countries is capable of receiving programmes via both ASTRA positions. The launch by M7 Group, since 2007, of an extensive line-up of over 25 HD channels for the Dutch and Flemish markets was another important stimulus for the rapid ASTRA 23.5 East development in the Benelux market.