The launch of a new DTH platform serving Hungary is significant on many levels.
AustriaSat Magyarország, which made its debut on March 19, marks Luxembourg-based M7 Group’s official entry into the Hungarian market. Within CEE, it extends the company’s activities beyond the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where it of course operates the highly successful Skylink and its sister platform CS Link.
AustriaSat Magyarország’s launch also marks a win for Eutelsat, which will be providing it with two transponders on 9A on a long-term basis.
The platform confirms M7 Group as a growing and increasingly important player in the region’s DTH marketplace. In due course, it may extend its activities to other markets.
Although AustriaSat Magyarország will undoubtedly freshen up the Hungarian pay-TV marketplace, it will face strong competition from the onset. The DTH sector is already served by platforms operated by RCS&RDS (Digi), Magyar Telekom and UPC, none of which will want to lose market share to the newcomer.
It’s interesting to note that Hungary also has one of CEE’s most successful pay-DTT platforms. Operated by Antenna Hungária, MinDig TV Extra already had over 122,000 subscribers as of the end of January.
Significantly, Antenna Hungária announced earlier this week that it will deploy two more national DTT multiplexes this summer, bringing the total serving Hungary to five. This will help it significantly improve the programme offer of both MinDig TV Extra and its sister (FTA) service MinDig TV, thereby strengthening DTT’s overall presence in the marketplace.
The latter is, of course, also served by a large cable industry and growing IPTV sector, dominated by UPC, Magyar Telekom and Digi, and with Invitel, Tarr and PR-Telekom also important players.
Given that neighbouring Romania has five, Hungary can probably support another DTH platform. However, AustriaSat Magyarország will quickly have to find its niche if it is to succeed in what is a highly competitive market.