In need of additional satellite capacity for broadcasting and IP services, Eutelsat Communications has signed two 15-year contracts with the Russian Satellite Communication Company (RSCC.) Eutelsat will pay approximately 300 million euros for Ku-band and Ka-band capacity on two RSCC satellites that will be launched in 2013 and 2015.
RSCC is currently expanding its communications satellite fleet. One of those planned platforms, Express-AT2, is set for a 2013 launch. Express-AT2 is being built by ISS Reshetnev and will use a Thales Alenia Space-designed payload. It will occupy the 140 degrees East slot and more than double the Ku-band capacity for satellite broadcasting at the key video neighborhood in the Far East region of Russia.
The second RSCC platform that Eutelsat intends to access is the Express-AMU1 satellite. Scheduled for a 2015 launch, the new RSCC satellite will share the 36 degrees East position with the older EUTELSAT 36A satellite. Eutelsat will sell this capacity under the EUTELSAT 36C name.
Express-AMU1 will serve the European part of the Russian Federation. It will also broadcast markets in sub-Saharan Africa. Its numerous Ku-band and Ka-band transponders will help support the developing digital entertainment market in Russia by transforming the broadcasting infrastructure at 36 degrees East into a wider system that can support more television services and IP-based applications.
The 36 degrees East video neighborhood serves more than 11 million Direct-to-Home (DTH) antennas in Russia. Most of those subscribers follow either the premium NTV+ platform or the flourishing Tricolor TV platform.
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