Sky Makes Space For More Digital Channels

BSkyB has expanded the transmission space available on its Astra satellite through two ten year contracts with SES, the satellite operating company. The deals give Sky six additional transponders on its current Astra 2A satellite along with 3 more transponders on the upcoming Astra 2B satellite.

This means that BSkyB is able to augment its digital channel offerings available across the UK and Ireland. Sky Digital, which launched in October last year (see Digital Launch Update), currently has over 350,000 subscribers and is claiming that this is the fastest take-up of digital television in the world.

BSkyB has also extended its analogue contract with SES to run until 2002 at the earliest. A date for the termination of analogue broadcasting in the UK has not yet been decided by the Government, although the industry seems to be in consensus that it is currently too early to set a date (see Too Early For Analogue Switch-Off Date, Says ITC). The Institute for Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) has recommended that a switch-off date is not set before penetration of digital television has reached at least 50% (see Too Early To Set Analogue Switch-Off Date, Says IPA).

BSkyB: 0171 705 3000