How HD+ Expands its TV Offering to Deliver Premium Viewing Experiences in Germany

• As viewing habits continue to evolve, HD+ strives to address different audiences in Germany with an expanded product line-up designed for any type of TV reception
• Recently, HD+ launched the HD+ IP TV-Stick to further grow their IP-based offering

With the average person watching three to four hours of TV per day it equates to nearly 53 days per year spent watching content. This is largely driven by the volume and choice in content available across linear, SVOD, FAST and other channels and platforms delivered to multiple screens and devices. That’s why understanding evolving viewing habits and aligning new technologies to address customer demand is critical, which is exactly what SES is doing with HD+.

We recently sat down with Andreas Müller-Vondey, Managing Director of HD PLUS, to discuss the new HD+ advancements and how it illustrates SES’s focus on developing innovative new technologies for content delivery.

HD+ is one of the most important launches SES has seen in the last few years. Where do you think the platform is now in the market?

In 2009, HD+ was launched in Germany offering viewers TV channels in HD via satellite – something that was not offered at the time. Today, satellite households with HD+ not only receive the entire range of free satellite TV channels in SD, HD and UHD via 19.2 degrees East, they can also receive the HD offerings of 25 private broadcasters and three additional UHD channels. Around 2.1 million households currently use HD+ directly – as well as further customers who have subscribed to our product via Sky.

With 16.5 million satellite TV households, TV broadcasting via satellite is an important content distribution option in Germany. That’s nearly half of all TV households in Germany. At HD+, we are working hard to reach not just the satellite TV households but also the non-satellite TV households with our IP-based solutions.

With more and more companies offering new ways for people to consume video, how important is it to create new offerings and ways to watch for viewers?

It is essential since viewers’ expectations and habits have changed a lot. While image quality was the driver 10 years ago, these days they also expect to switch seamlessly between linear and non-linear content and use functions that they are familiar with from streaming services. They also expect to access content on multiple TVs at home or on the move on a tablet or smartphone.

These trends were the driving force behind our HD+ TV App, launched in 2019, which offers viewers state-of-the-art functionalities (e.g. pause, restart or search for content simultaneously in different media libraries) with a user-friendly interface. Today, 80% of all newly-sold UHD TV sets in Germany already have the HD+ TV App pre-installed, including on the most important TV brands such as Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Philips, Hisense, Sony, Vestel and Loewe.

And with HD+ MultiScreen (formerly HD+ ToGo), users can watch TV on several devices at the same time, including mirroring to TVs or on smartphones or tablets. The product can be used in other EU countries at no additional cost and greatly expands the possible use cases of HD+.

SES launched HD+ IP in 2021 and the HD+ IP TV-Stick in 2024, tell us a little bit about those.

Since 2021, the HD+ TV App has been available as HD+ IP on select Panasonic TV sets and, since 2024, for Samsung TV sets with almost all functions.  In general, HD+ IP offers all cable TV, IPTV or DVB-T2 households the option of using the HD+ TV app via the Internet as an alternative. You receive live TV with over 100 channels in the best HD quality as well as access to the functions of the HD+ TV App.

However, not every household that wants to switch to our offer will purchase a new TV set. The solution for this is the new HD+ IP TV-Stick which also turns older TV sets into a smart device via a USB stick. In addition to Live TV and the previously described functionalities, popular streaming apps such as Netflix, YouTube or Prime Video can be accessed directly via the stick and many more can be selected via the Google Play Store. The included remote control ensures additional user comfort and convenience.

By offering HD+ IP both as an integrated app and via the HD+ IP TV-Stick, we have two very attractive offers for the half of the German TV market that does not use satellite TV. Due to the very attractive pricing, the user-friendly interface familiar from the HD+ TV App and modern functionalities, we believe we are also very well positioned compared to our competitors.

What do you see for the future of SES and HD+?

HD+ not only underscores the level of innovation from SES in terms of content distribution, delivery and consumption, but also highlights our focus on addressing all TV households in Germany.

And with HD+ IP and the HD+ IP stick, we offer existing cable, DVB-T2 and IPTV users an attractive alternative: simple, affordable and up-to-date way to access the HD+ App. As more customer use the HD+ App – whether via satellite or IP – we gain valuable market insights that will feed our innovation abilities going forward.