Eutelsat picks new broadcast satellite for 2018 MEA, Europe launch

Eutelsat has selected an all-electric satellite to provide broadcast TV services across Africa, Europe, Middle East and Turkey from 2018.

Eutelsat 7C will be manufactured by Space Systems Loral (SSL) and will be positioned at 7° East – an orbital position Eutelsat says is one of its fastest-growing video neighbourhoods.

The satellite is due to launch in the third quarter of 2018 and will be copositioned with Eutelsat 7B, releasing Eutelsat 7A to another orbital location.

Eutelsat said the two satellite constellation will allow it to optimise resources and will almost double capacity over Sub-Saharan Africa, from 22 to 42 transponders.

Eutelsat already broadcasts more than 370 channels from 7° East and its anchor clients at this position include Turkish pay TV operator Digiturk, and Sub-Saharan African platforms Azam TV, Montage and Muvi TV.

Eutelsat 7C will be Eutelsat’s fifth all-electric satellite and will include 44 operational Ku-band transponders. The company says the satellite will have reduced launch mass but retain payload performance and will be based on the same SSL 1300 platform that was used by the Eutelsat 65 West A satellite that launched in March.