The Belgian DTH platform Telesat will launch a special version for the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, which will use the Astra and Eutelsat satellites for the distribution of its channels. The operator claims it is the ‘new alternative for cable and DSL’.
Until now, Luxembourg has been one of the few countries in Europe without its own dedicated DTH platform. However, many people are believed to have ‘grey’ subscriptions to either German or French pay-TV services on satellite, such as Sky Deutschland, CanalSat and most likely also Telesat Belgium.
According to the newly launched platform’s website, subscriptions will start at €9.90 for the ‘basic light’ bouquet. No other options are mentioned, but they will probably be in line with that of the Belgian Telesat offer. This includes a ‘basic’ offer for € 13.90 and a 5-channel offer from Groupe AB for € 5.95 a month.
Telesat Luxembourg will use the Hot Bird 13 degrees East position and the Astra satellites.
Telesat will most likely bring the MPEG-4/DVB-S2 receivers – Philips DSR 7121 and Philips DSR 8121- it uses on the French speaking market in Belgium to Luxembourg. The operator has also said it will issue cards to anyone with a CI receiver. “Our cards are not tied to any one receiver”.
Viewers will have to buy a duo-LNB capable of receiving the two satellite positions. Telesat uses Hot Bird for the distribution of its bouquet of Belgian French language public and private channels, which it broadcasts in MPEG-4/DVB-S2. However, the main French broadcasters are available on Astra at 19 degrees East.
There might be an interesting complication of the new platform: the Luxembourg RTL channel as well as other national channels Chamber TV and Nordlicht TV as well as radio stations are only until the end of the year available on 19.2 degrees East; these channels will move to Astra at 23.5 degrees East, where it is at the moment simulcast.
Apart from their own bouquets on the two satellites, Telesat also advertises the fact that “more than 800 channels” are available (as free-to-air signals) on the two satellite positions.
The company has not yet announced an official launch date but is asking potential customers to register their interest on the website. Retailers are also invited to become official Telesat dealers.
The planned launch of the platform was reported last January in Broadband TV News.
