Rai and Eutelsat Team up to Expand HD Broadcasting in Italy

November 13, 2013

Rai and Eutelsat Communications have sealed an agreement enabling Italy's public service broadcaster to deliver its new portfolio of HD channels across Italy via the TivùSat satellite platform that already reaches into 1.7 million television homes.

Rai will broadcast its three flagship channels in HD - Rai 1, Rai 2, Rai 3 - via TivùSat that transmits through Eutelsat's HOT BIRD satellites, Italy's leading video neighbourhood. This latest agreement between Rai and Eutelsat marks a new phase of collaboration in satellite broadcasting that has stretched over almost 30 years, spanning analogue, digital and now HD. For Rai, it confirms its commitment to enhancing the technical quality of its programming and strengthening the role of the public service in Italy's digital landscape.

Italian satellite TV homes will automatically receive Rai's new HD channels on a free-to-air basis through HD compatible set-top boxes receiving TivùSat. Launched in 2009, TivùSat is a free-to-view digital satellite platform that offers a wide range of Italian and international channels.

Renato Farina, CEO of Eutelsat Italia, declared: "This new step underscores Eutelsat's longstanding commitment to playing our part in the digitisation of broadcasting in Italy and to constantly enhancing the viewing experience. The launch of this initial test phase of Rai's new HD content at our HOT BIRD neighbourhood ensures immediate 100% coverage of Italian territory and underscores the increasing penetration of HD content across our broadcasting satellites."