timo_w2s
Retired Mod
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2005
- Messages
- 4,359
- Reaction score
- 2,883
- Points
- 113
- Website
- www.timo.me.uk
- My Satellite Setup
- See Signature
- My Location
- Maidenhead, UK & Helsinki, Finland
With the potential transfer of 500MHz of bandwidth over to SES next month (see other thread) I was thinking what the future might hold for Eutelsat at 28.5°E. If they are left with just 250MHz of bandwidth and assuming they are confident they can keep this 250MHz without it being stolen taken over by another satellite operator in the near future, I was thinking about what they could do to make up for the lost revenue.
I assume the partially crippled and idle Eutelsat 28B may eventually be used for services at 28.5°E for the next few years. 28A with its wider range of transponders and movable spots may have better use elsewhere for its final few of years.
This got me thinking if Eutelsat might order a similar satellite to the soon to be launched Eutelsat 9B which has a number of smaller spots over Germany, Italy, Greece and Nordic/Eastern Europe.
They could do something similar at 28.5°E, with a spot over the UK for guaranteed high interest and income from UK broadcasters. With additional spots over other areas not covered by 9B, they could increase capacity (and revenue) from 28.5°E by introducing spots over say Spain/Portugal, Turkey, Eastern Europe/Russia and so reselling the same narrow block of frequencies again a number of times. Assuming, of course, these areas do not interfere with SES's plans to broadcast to the Middle East and Africa.
28.5°E is a good location for Eastern Europe if Astra's 31°E takes off plus the Russian hotspot at 36°E. It's also not too far from 19.2°E for extra Spanish channels.
As an added "bonus" the frequency reuse within Europe would limit UK reception much more so than Astra's current UK spots do, which might be a selling point for some FTA broadcasters looking for extra protection.
I'm not looking to scare people or spread doom and gloom about the demise of UK TV abroad, just trying to see things from Eutelsat's point of view and how they might overcome this rather unprecedented situation. After all it's all about money and if Eutelsat can recover some of the lost revenue from losing 500MHz of bandwidth, maybe this is one possible solution?
On the other hand maybe Eutelsat will keep their 250MHz of channels on a much wider beam that covers all of Europe unlike SES who seems to be favouring Western Europe more for their 2F and 2E satellites.
Hopefully they won't abandon 28.5°E totally.
Thoughts and comments?
I assume the partially crippled and idle Eutelsat 28B may eventually be used for services at 28.5°E for the next few years. 28A with its wider range of transponders and movable spots may have better use elsewhere for its final few of years.
This got me thinking if Eutelsat might order a similar satellite to the soon to be launched Eutelsat 9B which has a number of smaller spots over Germany, Italy, Greece and Nordic/Eastern Europe.
They could do something similar at 28.5°E, with a spot over the UK for guaranteed high interest and income from UK broadcasters. With additional spots over other areas not covered by 9B, they could increase capacity (and revenue) from 28.5°E by introducing spots over say Spain/Portugal, Turkey, Eastern Europe/Russia and so reselling the same narrow block of frequencies again a number of times. Assuming, of course, these areas do not interfere with SES's plans to broadcast to the Middle East and Africa.
28.5°E is a good location for Eastern Europe if Astra's 31°E takes off plus the Russian hotspot at 36°E. It's also not too far from 19.2°E for extra Spanish channels.
As an added "bonus" the frequency reuse within Europe would limit UK reception much more so than Astra's current UK spots do, which might be a selling point for some FTA broadcasters looking for extra protection.
I'm not looking to scare people or spread doom and gloom about the demise of UK TV abroad, just trying to see things from Eutelsat's point of view and how they might overcome this rather unprecedented situation. After all it's all about money and if Eutelsat can recover some of the lost revenue from losing 500MHz of bandwidth, maybe this is one possible solution?
On the other hand maybe Eutelsat will keep their 250MHz of channels on a much wider beam that covers all of Europe unlike SES who seems to be favouring Western Europe more for their 2F and 2E satellites.
Hopefully they won't abandon 28.5°E totally.
Thoughts and comments?