SES Astra JV sees Mideast satellite TV demand rising

SES Astra is investing $50m in the project while Yahsat will invest around $100m. (Getty Images)

A Middle East joint venture with SES Astra, a unit of European satellite operator SES, said it expects to generate revenues in its third year on growing regional demand for high-definition television.

YahLive, a joint venture with Abu Dhabi's Al Yah Satellite Communications Co (Yahsat), plans to launch its first satellite and offer direct-to-home satellite television services from the fourth quarter of 2009, Chief Executive Jassem al-Zaabi said.

Yahsat, which is launching two satellites in 2010 and 2011, is wholly owned by Abu Dhabi investment firm Mubadala and holds 65 percent of YahLive.

Satellite TV penetration in the Middle East, North Africa and southwest Asia is about 70 percent, Zaabi said.

"The market will grow 38 percent per annum with about 100-plus high definition channels to be added in the region by 2017," Zaabi told reporters late on Wednesday.

"A big chunk of our capacity will be utilised between the third and fifth year which will yield revenues."

SES Astra is investing $50m in the project while Yahsat will invest around $100m, Zaabi said.

SES Astra Chief Executive Ferdinand Kayser added that the Middle East was one of the "key growth markets" for SES.

Yahsat's two satellites are being built at a cost of $1.6 billion by a consortium of EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space. (Reuters)

Print | Email | Discuss this article

| Share |

READERS' COMMENTS

Click here to post a comment

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic. Arabian Business would like to point out that only comments relevant to the story will be published. Any containing personal insults or inappropriate language will not be approved.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Enter the words above *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM