Intelsat boosted by Slovak Telekom DTH deal

Intelsat has struck a significant satellite transponder deal with Slovak Telecom that the satellite operator has hailed as one of the largest and longest agreements of its kind in the CEE region for a number of years.

The deal will provide Slovak with three new transponders for extra capacity, so the company can bring more content to its customers from Intelsat’s 1° West position. Slovak Telekom plans to migrate distribution feeds from its current provider to the new position.

The operator will provide new channels dedicated to the Czech Republic, expanding its DTH offering.

Slovak Telekom offers TV services using a full range of platforms, including OTT, IPTV and cable as well as satellite.

Intelsat will provide Slovak Telekom with a completely managed service, including space capacity, fibre, uplink and redundancy via its teleport in Fuchsstadt, Germany. Intelsat has also provided customers across CEE region, including Slovak Telekom, with access to a selection of 4K content for market testing.

“This collaboration exemplifies how satellite can be used to provide flexible growth options at a pace with which no other technology can compete. Slovak Telekom is partnering with Intelsat to deliver the best quality DTH service available in the CEE region to the broadest possible audience,” said Intelsat Sales Director Daniel Sheppard.

“Satellite capacity extensions allow us to deliver a quality viewing experience and a portfolio of channels based on customer expectations. There is also a chance to start analyzing 4K possibilities. The trend and attractivity of IP-based TV services are significant, however, we also see the demand for such a traditional and approved Pay TV service like satellite broadcast,” said Lukas Koval, DTH Expert at Slovak Telekom.

“Since 2012, Slovak Telekom has provided reliable, sustainable and futureproof DTH service thanks to fruitful collaboration with Intelsat. The long-term cooperation proves that together we can handle complicated challenges that can occur during the standard product life cycle. Thanks to Intelsat, we can handle issues easier and deliver the expected quality and customer satisfaction,” said Marcel Satanek, Head of PM TV/connected home and terminal management at Slovak Telekom.