QVC Inks Long-Term Capacity Renewal, Moves to Center of the Arc With SES

QVC has renewed a key, multi-year capacity deal with SES and moved a significant block of its regional shopping channel content to the centre of the orbital arc, fast becoming the premier content distribution platform over North America.

As part of the agreement, QVC, a world leading video and ecommerce retailer, has signed a capacity extension to deliver a major portion of its regional 24/7 shopping shows and exclusive product showcase lineup on the SES-3 satellite. The deal represents QVC’s steady migration to one of three SES satellites (SES-1, SES-3, AMC-18) hosting the next-generation, centre of the arc cable neighborhood. SES-3 is also home to QVC Plus, the multichannel retailer’s newest US broadcast.

QVC has delivered much of its growing and increasingly tailored lineup of specialized shopping channels in North America and Europe over SES satellites for nearly 30 years.

“QVC provides consumers with an engaging and entertaining shopping experience across web, mobile, TV and social platforms,” explained Joe Micucci, Vice President of Broadcast Engineering for QVC. “We strive to provide a seamless and consistent experience across platforms, and our satellite distribution is a big part of this strategy. We have tapped SES’s next-generation cable neighborhood, confident that it will provide decades of reliable program delivery, much like SES has done since the early years of our network.”

“QVC has played a major role in redefining retail – checking out a dynamic and diverse range of products in the comfort of our homes, and at our fingertips on tablets and smartphones anywhere in the world,” said Steve Bunke, Vice President of North America Media Services for SES. “SES and QVC have developed a collaborative relationship aimed at keeping storefronts open for business 24/7 with reliable programming distribution and enabling QVC to innovate new, exciting retail opportunities around the globe.”

SES-9 Ready to Enter Commercial Service
SES’s new SES-9 spacecraft is entering commercial service. SES-9 has successfully completed its testing and reached its orbital position at around 108.2 degrees East where it has joined SES-7 and will replace NSS-11.

SES-9, built by Boeing Satellite Systems International, is the largest SES satellite to serve the Asia-Pacific region, with 57 high-power Ku-band transponders – equivalent to 81x36MHz transponders, out of which 53 are incremental. The new spacecraft will provide significant expansion capacity to serve the fast-growing video and mobility sectors across Northeast Asia, South Asia, India, Indonesia and the Philippines. The satellite will also be capable of supporting a range of Enterprise and Government applications.

SES-9 has already secured business in advance of the satellite’s entry in commercial service. SES will co-market SES-9 capacity with Indonesia’s largest satellite telecommunications services company, PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia, to the Indonesian market. In addition, Sky Cable, the largest cable television provider in the Philippines, signed a multi-year, multi-transponder agreement for broadcasting direct-to-home (DTH) satellite TV channels. This week SES also partnered with Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd., a worldwide leader in satellite networking technology, to launch the SES Enterprise+ Hybrid Broadband in Asia. This innovative, hybrid broadband solution will use capacity from SES-9.

The spacecraft was successfully launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on 4 March 2016. Since then, the satellite has used both its chemical and electric propulsion systems to reach its assigned geostationary orbit. The satellite’s platform and payload have since undergone extensive in-orbit tests.

“SES-9 is key to expanding our capabilities for DTH video broadcasting and services in Northeast Asia, South Asia and Indonesia,” said Martin Halliwell, Chief Technology Officer, SES. “Equipped with dedicated mobility beams, SES-9 is also well positioned to serve the fast-growing maritime and aeronautical sectors. The improved performance of the Falcon 9 launcher shortened the orbit raising phase and, in combination with the use of the highly efficient SES-9 electric propulsion system, resulted in remaining fuel on board to support services well beyond its 15 years design life. I congratulate the Boeing, SpaceX and SES teams, who together have done an excellent job.”

SES Fox Networks Germany Extend Multi-Year Contract
SES Platform Services and Fox Networks Group (FNG) Germany have signed a multi-year contract to continue delivering content management and provide playout services for all four pay-tv channels of FNG Germany.

SES Platform Services already provided playout services for two channels – Fox and Nat Geo people – and extended the existing contract with FNG Germany. Under the new contract, SES Platform Services will deliver additional playout services for the two other pay-tv channels — National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo Wild. SES Platform Services will continue to provide content management services for these four channels.

FNG Germany is using SES Platform Services’ cloud-based Fluid MAM to deliver content management and content delivery services to linear and non-linear platforms. The reliable and flexible media management and logistics solution allows FNG Germany to monitor and control the processes via an interactive dashboard.

“We have worked with SES Platform Services since 2009 and are pleased to be able to extend our partnership,” said Mauro Panella, Vice President Broadcast Operations at FNG Italy, Germany and UK. “This agreement is significant not only for our German speaking market, but also for the whole of Europe, and marks the beginning of what we are confident will be a long and fruitful relationship. Delivering content in consistently high quality is a top priority for us, making SES Platform Services the ideal choice of partner.”

Christoph Mühleib, Vice President of Sales Europe at SES Platform Services, said, “This new contract with FNG Germany is important, as it confirms their trust in us as a strong partner. We pride ourselves on setting a benchmark in regards to quality of services and are delighted to have once again met the high standards of FNG Germany. We are also committed to innovation and will continue to work with FNG Germany and our other clients to further improve our services.”