SES ASTRA Announces RTL2 Launch in High Definition

SES ASTRA Announces RTL2 Launch in High Definition

LUXEMBOURG, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- SES ASTRA, an SES company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), has announced that the German entertainment channel RTL2 will launch in high-definition (HD) quality on HD+ starting in early December. HD+ is SES ASTRA's technical platform for the transmission and reception of TV programmes in HD quality via satellite for the German market

RTL2 HD is the seventh private free-TV-channel to launch on HD+. Other channels broadcasting via HD+ include RTL HD, Sat. 1 HD, ProSieben HD, VOX HD and kabel eins HD and most recently Sport1 HD, which starts 1 November 2010.

Since its market launch on 1 November 2009, HD+ has been growing at an exceptional rate. Over 1.2 million smart cards have been delivered to manufacturers and more than 300,000 HD+ set-top boxes have been sold. To date, over 30 different kinds of set-top box are available for the reception of HD+, and additional models will be in the market soon.

Wilfried Urner, Managing Director of HD PLUS, said: "The launch of RTL2 HD will further extend the programme choice of HD+ and make it even more attractive. The receiver sales demonstrate the popularity of the unique offer and prove that we have developed a successful platform for broadcasters who want to launch high-definition channels in Germany."

About SES ASTRA

SES ASTRA is the leading Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite system in Europe. The satellite fleet currently comprises 16 satellites. The ASTRA satellite tv system delivers services to more than 125 million DTH and cable households and transmits more than 2,600 analogue and digital television and radio channels, all easily found via the system's channel guide. SES ASTRA also provides satellite-based multimedia, internet and telecommunication services to enterprises, governments and their agencies. With over 160 HDTV satellite channels on its main orbital positions, ASTRA represents the most important HDTV platform for Europe's leading broadcasters.

The prime orbital positions for ASTRA are 19.2 degrees East, 28.2 degrees East, 23.5 degrees East, 5 degrees East and 31.5 degrees East.

About SES

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) wholly owns the market-leading satellite operators SES ASTRA and SES WORLD SKIES, and participations in Ciel in Canada, QuetzSat in Mexico as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks. SES provides outstanding satellite communications solutions via a global fleet of 44 satellites.

For more information please contact:

Markus Payer
Vice President, Media Relations
SES ASTRA
L-6815 Chateau de Betzdorf
Luxembourg
+352-710-725-500

http://www.onastra.com

SOURCE SES ASTRA

SES ASTRA

CONTACT: Markus Payer, Vice President, Media Relations, SES ASTRA, +352-710-725-500

Web Site: http://www.onastra.com

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