SES Astra expanded its digital services with infrastructure for free-to-air television, pay television and interactive additions. The offer was open to all broadcasters and covered playout, signal encoding, smart-card distribution and customer service.
Astra Platform Services in Unterföhring was to provide playout and technical operations. SES Astra also planned a new Unterföhring subsidiary for logistics, marketing and service.
SES Astra president and CEO Ferdinand Kayser described the infrastructure as open, neutral and non-discriminatory, intended to lower the barrier for free-TV and pay-TV broadcasters launching digital programmes and packages.
Viewers required digital satellite reception, a receiver with a compatible smart card and a one-time registration. Suitable receivers either read the card directly or could be upgraded through a Common Interface. SES Astra planned a low monthly digital fee to cover infrastructure operating costs.
