After issuing a Request for Information (RFI) to satellite operators to improve operational efficiency, the telecommunications provider awarded Eutelsat a contract covering its entire Direct-to-Home (DTH) portfolio.
As a result, this multi-year, multi-transponder deal will consolidate the totality of its broadcast activities on Eutelsat assets.
United Group is also increasing its capacity to support both existing and new TV platforms that will join the Eutelsat video network, it revealed.
Currently, Eutelsat reaches 70% of satellite households in Central and Eastern Europe via its European video hotspots.
Subscribe today for free
However, by tapping EUTELSAT HOTBIRD at 13° East and EUTELSAT 16A at 16° East, United Group’s Total TV, Nova and Vivacom platforms can effectively reach audiences in Greece, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia.
United Group, VP of Technology, Zeljko Batistić, said: “We are proud to be taking the high quality of our TV offering to a new level.
“This transition is crucial to maximise our audience reach across our market footprint, deliver an unrivalled content line-up and continue to develop our next-generation services. We are delighted to partner with Eutelsat, which offers us the best and most compliant technical solution to meet our needs.”
Eutelsat Group, president of the Video Business Unit, Laurence Delpy, added: “We are honoured that United Group, has placed its confidence in Eutelsat for this important strategic initiative, leveraging two of our leading video neighbourhoods, 16° East and HOTBIRD.
“As well as reinforcing our long-standing collaboration with one of our key customers in the region, this agreement showcases the ongoing relevance of satellite in addressing the evolving needs of our broadcast clients and confirms Eutelsat as the premier operator covering the region, reaching seven out of 10 satellite homes.”
The 16° East video hotspot is a major hub for Central and Eastern Europe, broadcasting around 600 TV channels, including over 200 exclusive channels and more than 200 in High Definition, to over 25 million homes.
Meanwhile, HOTBIRD satellites at 13° East are the prime broadcast hub for the EMEA region, delivering over 900 TV channels, with 50% in HD, reaching 130 million homes in Europe alone.
RELATED STORIES
Eutelsat launches Eutelsat CIRRUS
United Group consolidates fibre networks in Southeast Europe
