The leading Russian DTH platforms Tricolor TV and NTV-Plus may be unable to launch any more new channels this year.
Cableman says this is due to the delayed launch of Eutelsat W7 at 36 degrees East, which may now not make its debut until 2010.
Eutelsat W7 will provide Tricolor TV and NTV-Plus with additional capacity, while at the same time freeing up Eutelsat Sesat, which will replace Express AM2.
Tricolor TV is the leading DTH platform in Russia in terms of subscribers, claiming 5 million as of the middle of last month.
NTV-Plus is meanwhile the longest established, having been in operation since 1996.