The Ukrainian DTT operator Zeonbud has encoded its signal on Astra 4A through which it delivers TV services to more than 140 terrestrial broadcasting stations.
Employing Irdeto conditional access, in accordance with an agreement announced in July, the move is an important part of the encoding of all satellite-delivered services in the country by January 2020.
Zeonbud’s parent company 1+1 Media notes that the terrestrial broadcasting stations for the three multiplexes MX-1, 2 and 3 are already fully equipped with satellite decoding devices that provide complete protection against illegal access and viewing.
At the same time, viewers watching DTT services will still be able to do so free of charge in an open, unencrypted manner.
Commenting on the development, Andriy Malchevsky, director of 1+1 Media’s distribution and developmnet network, said: “Our media group is pleased that such a long-awaited step has finally taken place. This is a truly remarkable event that has been awaited by the entire industry for several years. We welcome the observance of Zeonbud by the market-defined coding terms, because only through joint and unified actions of all participants can we effectively develop the pay-TV market in Ukraine”.