The launch of a new DTH platform by Mtel in Bulgaria is a significant but not unexpected event.
Just a fortnight ago at IBC, Telekom Austria told Broadband TV News that it would make its white label service available in another market in the next few weeks and two further markets over the course of the next half-year. It was almost inevitable that Bulgaria, where the telco operates Mtel, would be the first of these markets, just as Croatia had marked its launch on Vipnet a year earlier.
At that time, Telekom Austria was predicting that its partnership with Eutelsat – it is using the 16 degrees East slot to deliver the service – would result in 7.3 million new pay-TV DTH households in the CEE region by 2017. While this remains to be seen, it will almost certainly help grow the market in countries such as Croatia and Bulgaria.
Not that they are already badly served by DTH platforms, with the latter being particularly active in both new launches and indeed the occasional closure. What is more, Bulsatcom, the leading player, is on course to launch what will be the country’s first satellite (BulgariaSat-1) in 2016.
This will help the company offer its customers an even more comprehensive range of services than it does at present.
For Telekom Austria itself, the steady growth in TV subscribers it enjoyed in CEE markets such as Bulgaria and Croatia in the first half of this year was to a large extent overshadowed by disappointing group financial results. These saw it post a net loss of €317.8 million in the period, mainly due to impairments in Bulgaria.
However, there is confidence in the company that its partnership with América Móvil – Carlos Slim’s company is now a majority owner – will turn things around.
Rolling out its white label DTH service to more markets will also contribute to a general improvement.
