HD growth helps SES revenue increase

HD channel growth helped satellite operator SES increase first half revenues by 4.8% year-on-year to €891.9 million.

In Europe, SES has increased satellite capacity by 32 transponders, driven by Astra 1F at 55° East and Astra 1N at 28.2° East. The fill rate now stands at 81.4%, compared with 93% a year earlier. European revenues were flat compared to the prior year period on a constant foreign exchange basis.

SES’s HD platform for the German market, SES Plus, now has 2.6 million active households, of which over 634,000 are paying customers following a 12 month free trial period.

SES now delivers 5,200 channels, of which over 1,300 are HD channels. The operator said it broadcasts more HD channels than its two main competitors combined.

First half EBITDA increased by 5.3% to €665.1 million.

“SES is reporting solid half year results in line with our expectations. The switch-off of analogue satellite TV broadcasts in Germany took place, as scheduled, at the end of April,” said Romain Bausch, SES’s president and CEO. “The remarketing of the newly available capacity is on track, and HD channel growth is, as projected, an important driver of demand for this capacity.