SES SIRIUS EXTENDS REACH TO HOMES IN BALTIC STATES
28 May, 2009
Press release
Over 1,6 Million Baltic homes now receive satellite signals from SIRIUS. Satellite leads digitalisation across Europe.
Riga, 28 May 2009 - SES SIRIUS, an SES ASTRA company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), announced today that it has significantly increased its reach in the Baltic countries. Out of a total 2.81 Million TV homes in the Baltic countries, SIRIUS serves 230 000 satellite households and 1.41 Million cable households (all cable households). This is an increase from last year of 62%.
The satellite operator gained 80,000 digital satellite households in 2008 in the Baltic countries, reaching in total 230,000 digital satellite homes. SIRIUS is the leading satellite operator in the Baltic countries.
Satellite Monitor figures for year-end 2008 in Latvia click here
Satellite Monitor figures for year-end 2008 in Lithuania click here
Satellite Monitor figures for year-end 2008 in Estonia click here
Today, 50 percent of the 243 million TV homes in Europe receive programs digitally. Overall, satellite - including other operators - has again proven to be a main driver of digitalisation, providing more than a quarter of all TV households or 52 percent of all digital households with digital TV signals. The digitalisation rate of satellite, as an infrastructure, is three times higher (89 percent) than that of cable networks (27 percent).
These are the results of the latest SES ASTRA Satellite Monitor, conducted annually in 35 European and North African countries, and based on more than 65,000 face-to-face and telephone interviews. The methodology and the results are controlled by independent institutes and accepted by regulatory bodies in various countries as objective market measurements.
"The new study shows that SES ASTRA/SIRIUS is able to significantly increase its presence in a rapidly changing and very competitive environment," said Anna-Karin Modig, Vice President, Marketing and Communications at SES SIRIUS. "We are benefiting from strong dynamics in several growth markets and sectors across Europe. Our success encourages us to continue our strategy of being a neutral service partner for broadcasters, not investing in content and programmes but in high-end technology that will take the development of TV to the next generation."
Satellite Monitor figures for year-end 2008 in Europe and North Africa at a glance:
• Total of 243 million analogue and digital TV homes in Europe
• ASTRA/SIRIUS fleet reaches 122 million analogue and digital TV households in Europe and North Africa (53.4 Direct-to-Home, 68.8 through cable headends)
• 50 percent or 122 million TV homes receive programs digitally (includes all reception modes: satellite, cable, terrestrial, IPTV)
• Satellite reaches 63.9 million digital homes (52% of the digital market), cable reaches 19.7 million digital homes (16%), terrestrial reaches 31.7 million digital homes (26%), TV over DSL reaches 6.8 homes (6%).
• ASTRA/SIRIUS reaches 47.2 million digital satellite homes (74% of all digital satellite homes)
• ASTRA/SIRIUS adds 6.1 million digital satellite homes
• ASTRA/SIRIUS features nearly 70 HD channels and reaches 2 million HD homes
• Digitalization rate of satellite three times higher (89 percent) than that of cable networks (27 percent)
About SES SIRIUS AB
SES SIRIUS AB owns and operates the SIRIUS satellite system which is a leading satellite system in the Nordic and Baltic countries and Central and Eastern Europe. It offers cost-effective solutions for TV and radio broadcasts and broadband services in these regions. SIRIUS is positioned at 5 degrees East and offers reliable communication links across Europe.
SES SIRIUS AB is 90-percent owned by SES ASTRA, one of the world's leading satellite operators, and 10-percent by the state-owned company the Swedish Space Corporation.
More information:
Anna-Karin Modigh Vice president, Marketing and Communication
SES SIRIUS
+46 (0)708-94 25 86
anna-karin.modigh@ses-sirius.com
Markus Payer
Vice President, Media Relations
SES ASTRA
+ 352 710 725 500
markus.payer@ses-astra.com
