SES ASTRA has announced that it will be moving the ASTRA 2C satellite from its current orbital position at 28.2 degrees East to 31.5 degrees East to take over the mission of ASTRA 5A which is no longer in service.

ASTRA 2C will be moved to 31.5 degrees East in April 2009 and will remain there for approximately one year.

In the meantime, the services transmitted via 28.2 degrees East will continue to be broadcast from the other satellites co-located at this orbital position. ASTRA 2C will be able to operate 24 BSS transponders at 31.5 degrees East, thereby continuing the commercialization of this orbital position.

Following the launch of ASTRA 3B in the fourth quarter of 2009 and its subsequent deployment, another in-orbit satellite will be moved to 31.5 degrees East, permitting the return of ASTRA 2C to 28.2 degrees East and to enhance capacity at this orbital position.

Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO of SES ASTRA, said: "The move of ASTRA 2C demonstrates our strong commitment to develop 31.5 degrees East into an important position, especially for Central and Eastern Europe.

"At the same time our fleet flexibility allows us to redeploy ASTRA 2C at 28.2 degrees East after the launch of Astra 3B in order to serve the growth in the UK market, particularly coming from High Definition (HD) broadcast services."

related report
ASTRA Extends Digital Reach In Germany
SES ASTRA has announced that it has confirms its leading role in digitalisation and increased the number of digital TV homes reached by the ASTRA satellite system in Germany by 1.35 million (13.9 percent) to 11.1 million. ASTRA thus remains the leading infrastructure for digital reception in Germany.

Considering all reception modes including satellite, cable, terrestrial and IPTV, 20 million (53 percent, 2007: 42 percent) of all television viewers receive their programme digitally meaning that every second TV-household already watches the television of the future. 69.4 percent of all satellite households and 31.3 percent of all cable households are digitalised.

These are the results of the latest Satellite Monitor, conducted annually on behalf of SES ASTRA. For Germany, 6,000 telephone and face-to-face interviews were conducted at the end of last year. The methodology and the results are controlled by independent institutes.

In total, Germany had 37.67 million analogue and digital TV homes by the end of last year. With 16.2 million households, satellite reached a share of 43 percent in 2008. 18.45 million households watched television via cable equaling a share of 49 percent.

The terrestrial television DVB-T had 2.75 million viewers and a share of seven percent, followed by IPTV with 270.000 households and a share of one percent.

"This year's Satellite Monitor confirms that satellite represents the most attractive digital reception mode and continues to be the leading infrastructure for digital broadcasting," said Wolfgang Els��er, Managing Director of SES ASTRA in Germany.

"The fact that every second household in Germany receives digital television, represents an important milestone. ASTRA launches a broad campaign this year in order to further drive the acceptance of digital television and the conversion from analogue to digital TV reception."

Satellite Monitor figures for year-end 2008 in Germany at a glance:

+ Total of 37.67 million analogue and digital TV homes in Germany

+ 20 million TV viewers receive programs digitally (up from 42 percent in 2007 to 53 percent in 2008 - includes all reception modes: satellite, cable, terrestrial, IPTV)

+ Satellite reached 16.2 million households (43 percent)

+ 69.4 percent of satellite households are digital

+ Cable reached 18.45 million households (49 percent)

+ 31.3 percent of cable households are digital

+ Terrestrial TV (DVB-T) had 2.75 million viewers (7 percent)

+ IPTV reached 270,000 households (1 percent)

The Satellite Monitor for the European figures will be presented in London on 24 March 2009.