Eutelsat Selected by StarGroup to Enhance its Popular DTH Platform StarTV in Mexico
StarGroup, the leading telecommunications and entertainment service provider in Mexico, has once again selected Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) for StarTV, its Direct-to-Home (DTH) pay-TV service. Operating via Eutelsat since 2016, StarTV will continue to benefit from the exceptional coverage of Mexico at 117° West.
The StarTV DTH service was launched in 2016, replacing the regional platform TVZac, which had been broadcast through microwave distribution. Partnering with Eutelsat, StarTV switched to satellite technology in order to offer a nationwide, robust, high-quality and affordable service to even the most remote areas of the country. The platform quickly became a success and has grown steadily, adding new channels to its offering, and in less than five-years, the audience had increased a massive eight-fold, counting 250 thousand subscribers in 2020. Today, the StarTV platform offers over 100 TV channels, in SD and HD quality, and with a constantly expanding installer base, it has become one of the most successful TV providers in Mexico.
Under this multi-year agreement, additional Ku-band transponders on EUTELSAT 117 West B will be used to further develop StarTV’s DTH services. The EUTELSAT 117 West B satellite, co-located with EUTELSAT 117 West A, has established 117° West as one of the premium broadcast neighbourhoods for Latin America over the past decade. Offering four regional Ku-band beams, it provides exceptional coverage of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, the Andean region and the Southern Cone, making it a prime choice for service providers and audiences across the region.
Jose Aguirre, President and CEO of StarTV commented on the partnership, "Eutelsat has enabled StarTV to deliver low-cost pay-TV services across Mexico. In addition to being a satellite provider, Eutelsat has been a partner in designing services that enrich our entertainment offering and enhance our customer experience".
José Ignacio González-Núñez, Eutelsat Americas Video Senior Vice President, added: “We are delighted to renew our partnership with StarGroup and to share the undeniable success of StarTV over the past years. The development of DTH services in the Americas is a strategic objective for Eutelsat and we are thrilled to be able to leverage our prime 117° West video neighbourhood to expand the pay-TV offering in Mexico and beyond.”