PARIS, October 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Eutelsat Communications , in a consortium assembling Magyar Telekom and eVision, has been selected by Hungary's national public broadcaster, Magyar Televizio (MTV), to broadcast its Magyar TV2 channel across Europe using the EUROBIRD(TM) 9A satellite. The flagship general entertainment channel is now available on a free-to-air basis in both Standard Digital and High-Definition versions.
The multi-year contract was signed by Hungary's national public broadcaster following an open public procurement procedure, with official broadcasts launched on 21 September. 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(TM) 9A satellite for reception by satellite homes and terrestrial operators in Hungary and across Europe.
The arrival of Magyar TV2 on EUROBIRD(TM) 9A adds a new boost to the Hungarian and HD content available from Eutelsat's 9 degrees East neighbourhood, where the number of channels has almost doubled over the last 12 months to 245. Magyar TV2 notably joins Hungary's Hello HD, Europe's first all HD platform, which launched from EUROBIRD(TM) 9A in 2008. Within an overall dynamic of HD take-up, which saw Eutelsat this month break the barrier of 100 HD channels, EUROBIRD(TM) 9A, with 28 channels, is the Group's second-largest neighbourhood for HD content.
About Eutelsat Communications
Eutelsat Communications is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 27 satellites that provide coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, Eutelsat is one of the world's three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues. At 30 June 2009, Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting almost 3,200 television channels and 1,100 radio stations. More than 1,000 channels broadcast via its HOT BIRD(TM) video neighbourhood at 13 degrees East which serves over 123 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The Group's satellites also serve a wide range of fixed and mobile telecommunications services, TV contribution markets, corporate networks, and broadband markets for Internet Service Providers and for transport, maritime and in-flight markets. Eutelsat's broadband subsidiary, Skylogic, markets and operates services through teleports in France and Italy that serve enterprises, local communities, government agencies and aid organisations in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Headquartered in Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries employ 610 commercial, technical and operational employees from 28 countries.
http://www.eutelsat.com
For further information
Eutelsat
Press
Vanessa O'Connor
Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88
voconnor@eutelsat.fr
Frederique Gautier
Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88
fgautier@eutelsat.fr
Investors
Gilles Janvier
Tel: +33-1-53-98-35-30
investors@eutelsat-communications.com
SOURCE Eutelsat Communications
Eutelsat Communications
