Spacecom is unlikely to repeat the arrangement it recently entered into in Ukraine in any other CEE market, according to Jacob Keret, the company’s SVP sales Europe, NA& ME.
Speaking exclusively to Broadband TV News at IBC 2017, he added that on the content side FTA services continue to play a dominant role in Ukraine and the success of DTH platforms has been limited.
Spacecom realised it had to do something different and entered into an agreement with UkrKosmos targeting small local broadcasters. It undertook local events in cities such as Kiev, Lviv and Odessa and then embarked on offering satellite transponder services, on Amos 7 at 4 degrees West, to regional broadcasters for content sharing. Some 20 local channels have decided to join the bouquet, with 10-12 already on air.
Keret stressed that Ukraine has much more content at a local basis than many other markets in the CEE region. It also has 5.5 million DTH antennas receiving FTA services.
He also said that Hungary remains Spacecom’s largest market in CEE. Its main client is Magyar Telekom, with others including Antenna Hungária.
Elsewhere, it has clients in several other countries including Romania, Poland and the Czech Republic.
Asked about the prospects for Ultra HD services in CEE, he said he did not see much movement at present but acknowledged that this could change with the coverage of key sports events.
