Russian Broadcaster National Satellite Company Boosts Capacity On Eutelsat's EUROBIRD™ 9 Satellite For New Digital Package

Following on from the successful launch in 2008 of Platforma HD on the EUROBIRD™ 9 satellite of Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL), the Russian pay-TV operator National Satellite Company is complementing and significantly expanding its offer with a new package called Platforma DV of 20 Standard Digital channels. Platforma DV will launch on February 1 via a second transponder leased by National Satellite Company on Eutelsat's EUROBIRD™ 9 satellite, which provides reach to satellite homes across the European territory of Russia.

The 20 Standard Digital channels will include flagship Russian channels covering sport, music, cinema, news and lifestyle: Rossija, Sport, Vesti, Kultura, Bibigon, Pervyj, Pjatyj, NTV, TNT, STS, Ren TV, Muz TV, Zoo TV, Kinopokaz, Teleputesestvija, Tonus TV, Avto Plus, Kuchnja TV, Komedija TV and 365 Days. The new platform will be available to Direct-to-Home subscribers using 60-90cm antennas in western parts of Russia. Platforma DV will cost subscribers R900 (€20) a year and offer a supplement to Platforma HD, which broadcasts five HD channels (Kinopokaz HD, Eurosport, National Geographic Channel, HD Life and MTVN HD) for an annual subscription of R3,600 (€80). Subscribers choosing to take both SD and HD packages will pay R4,200 (€93) a year.

Platforma HD and DV use DRE encryption for the system. Two types of decoder are available (the HUMAX HDCI-2000 and General Satellite's HD-9000) enabling reception of channels in DVB-S2, Standard Definition and in High-Definition.

Commenting on the launch of Platforma DV, Konstantin Yashin, Chairman of Platforma HD declared: "With the launch of our new package, subscribers already attracted by High-Definition television can add a valuable set of traditional Standard Digital channels offering excellent quality."

Olivier Milliès-Lacroix, Eutelsat's Commercial Director added: "The launch of Platform DV as a complement to Platforma HD shows the strong appetite of Russian satellite homes for a wide variety of content and further anchors EUROBIRD™ 9 as a neighbourhood of choice in this region. We are very pleased to accompany the expansion of new video platforms in Russia's dynamic new media landscape."