Eutelsat Communications recently announced three great achievements with three different partnerships in Europe and middle east.

The European satellite operator achieved a further extension of its multi-year relationship with Cyfrowy Polsat, Poland’s leading pay-TV operator, with the renewal of a contract for three transponders at the HOT BIRD™ neighbourhood. This new lease with Eutelsat follows the contract for a fourth transponder inked by Cyfrowy Polsat in March 2009 to support the on-going expansion of Poland’s leading pay-TV platform with the launch of new TV services.

Launched in 2000 from Eutelsat’s HOT BIRD™ position, Cyfrowy Polsat currently broadcasts over 75 Polish-language channels to more than 2.8 million subscribers. In 2007 Cyfrowy Polsat launched HDTV in its platform and now offers six channels, including Polsat HD, Polsat Sport HD, Eurosport HD, HBO HD, MTVNHD and Discovery HD. In addition, Cyfrowy Polsat subscribers can access over 500 free to air television and radio channels which can be received in Poland from the HOT BIRD™ satellites.

In the European scenario,  Eutelsat Communications, has been selected by Hungary’s national public broadcaster Magyar Televízió (MTV), in a consortium assembling Magyar Telekom and eVision, to broadcast its Magyar TV2 channel across Europe using the EUROBIRD™ 9A satellite. The flagship general entertainment channel is now available on a free-to-air basis in both Standard Digital and High-Definition versions.

Within the framework of the consortium servicing MTV’s requirements, Magyar Telekom manages terrestrial activities, including fibre delivery of the broadcast signals to eVision’s teleport in Budapest. The signals are multiplexed and uplinked by e-Vision to one transponder on Eutelsat’s EUROBIRD™ 9A satellite for reception by satellite homes and terrestrial operators in Hungary and across Europe.

Coming to middle east, Eutelsat signed a multi-year capacity deal with satellite service provider Noorsat.
The contract is for the lease of three additional transponders on Eutelsat’s Atlantic Bird 4A satellite.
Noorsat, based in Manama, Bahrain, offers a broadcasting platform that delivers more than 170 free-to-air and subscription channels.
“By increasing our capacity at Eutelsat’s 7 degrees West neighborhood, Noorsat is able to offer its clients extensive coverage of DTH homes in the Middle East. Our expansion is based on the prospect of seeing the number of channels in the [Middle East and North Africa] region increase over the next three years. We are preparing for the expected introduction of HDTV channels and will be offering our customers the capacity they need,” Noorsat CEO Omar Shoter said in a statement.

Sources: Eutelsat, Via Satellite