sixx HD Launches In High Definition On HD+ In Germany

Luxembourg/ Munich - SES ASTRA, an SES company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), announced today that sixx HD will launch in high-definition (HD) quality on HD+ on 1 December 2010. HD+ is SES ASTRA’s technical platform for the transmission and reception of TV programmes in HD quality via satellite in Germany.

sixx HD is a channel of the ProSiebenSat.1 group targeting a female audience. It is the eighth private free-TV-channel to launch on HD+ and the fourth channel of the ProSiebenSat.1 group to join the technical platform. Further to sixx HD, ProSiebenSat.1 group also broadcasts Sat.1 HD, ProSieben HD and kabel eins HD via HD+. Other channels on HD+ include RTL group’s RTL HD, VOX HD and RTL II HD (starting December) as well as SPORT1 HD, a channel owned by Constantin Medien.

HD+ was launched one year ago and since then has developed very favourably. Within the first twelve months, 1.5 million smart cards have been delivered to manufacturers and 400,000 HD+ set-top boxes have been sold. TV viewers can chose between 38 different kinds of set-top boxes that have been brought to market by 22 manufacturers.

Wilfried Urner, Managing Director of HD PLUS, said: “The launch of sixx HD will add another attractive programme to our platform. Following the announcements of RTL II HD and Sport 1 HD, sixx HD will represent the third channel launch within only a couple of weeks. The fast channel take-up and the positive receiver sales demonstrate the popularity of HD+ among broadcasters and TV viewers. It shows that only one year after its launch, HD+ has established itself as an integral part of the German TV landscape.”

About SES ASTRA

SES ASTRA is the leading Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite system in Europe. The satellite fleet currently comprises 16 satellites. The ASTRA satellite system delivers services to more than 125 million DTH and cable households and transmits more than 2,600 analogue and digital television and radio channels. SES ASTRA also provides satellite-based multimedia, internet and telecommunication services to enterprises, governments and their agencies. With over 160 High Definition (HD) channels on its main orbital positions, ASTRA represents the most important HDTV platform for Europe’s leading broadcasters. The prime orbital positions for ASTRA are 19.2 degrees East, 28.2 degrees East, 23.5 degrees East, 5 degrees East and 31.5 degrees East. For further information: www.ses-astra.com

About SES

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) wholly owns the market-leading satellite operators SES ASTRA and SES WORLD SKIES, and participations in Ciel in Canada, QuetzSat in Mexico as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks. SES provides outstanding satellite communications solutions via a global fleet of 44 satellites. For further information: www.ses.com.