PAS-6B will serve as a long-term transmission platform for Sky's two South American platforms, NetSat Servicos Ltda., the Brazilian direct-to-home (DTH) television service, and Sky Multi-Country Partners, LLC, the multi-country platform covering all Latin American markets, excluding Mexico and Brazil.

"The upcoming launch of PAS-6B reflects PanAmSat's long-term commitment to its customers," said Robert Bednarek, PanAmSat's chief technology officer. "This launch is designed to ensure that Sky is able to continue delivering hundreds of digital DTH television channels in South America to the year 2014 and beyond."

PAS-6B, an HS 601 HP satellite built by Hughes Space and Communications Co., is scheduled to be launched to 43 degrees West Longitude on an Ariane 42L rocket from Arianespace's facility in Kourou, French Guiana. The satellite contains 32 high-power Ku-band transponders providing comprehensive coverage of South America over two beams, one offering dedicated coverage of Brazil and another stretching from Maracaibo, Venezuela, to Santa Cruz, Argentina.

Until PAS-6B is operational, PanAmSat will continue to provide NetSat and the multi-country platform with service on the PAS-6 and PAS-3 satellites, which are both located at 43 degrees West Longitude. PAS-6B will be co-located in that orbital slot to ensure seamless migration of the South America DTH services.

Sky is the brand name for the DTH service offered by the strategic alliance comprised by the following groups: Organizacoes Globo, Brazil's leading entertainment group; Mexico's Grupo Televisa, S.A., the largest production and media company in the Spanish-speaking world; The News Corporation, Ltd., one of the world's largest media companies; and Tele-Communications International Inc., one of the world's leading media companies. The alliance will provide a 24-hour digital DTH television service to all of Latin America and the Caribbean region, broadcasting digital television channels with crystal-clear pictures and CD-quality sound to its subscribers. Sky is operated by three stand-alone platforms: NetSat in Brazil; Innova in Mexico; and Sky Multi-Country Partners in the rest of the region.

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Satellite Launch To Boost DTH In India
Calcutta, India (SPX) Dec 28, 2005
The successful launch Thursday of India's heaviest satellite from spaceport of Kourou in French Guyana may have boosted the country's space research efforts to yet another level, but it has also lifted the spirits of at least three Direct-To-Home televisions broadcasters, one of which has been waiting for years to launch its services in India.