The new Russian satellite pay-TV platform Continent TV will make its debut this February.
Its operators Orion Express and RuSat say the service will employ Intelsat 15 at 85.15 degrees East, launched last November, to offer viewers across the entire country over 70 popular Russian and foreign TV channels, some of which will be in HD. The monthly fee for 33 channels will be R99 (€2.32) and that for 50 R199, with 10 all-Russian TV services offered free of charge.
Significantly, viewers will be allowed to create their own packages, making the service more accessible to all income groups.
RuSat is a Moscow-based satellite operator, providing services to – amongst others – mobile TV networks.
Orion Express meanwhile operates a DTH platform of the same name and has provided TV services to cable operators since 2005 and individual clients since 2007. It utilises Intelsat 15 at 85.15 degrees East and (specifically to reach viewers in Siberia and the Far East) Express-AM3 at 140 degrees East.