Reaching wider audiences across the Philippines with an affordable package of high-quality TV content
How can DTH operators grow their business by increasing their subscriber base in remote areas?
Industry
Platform Operators
Location
The Philippines
Cable TV started making inroads in the Philippines over 20 years ago, however, the geography of the archipelago country posed significant challenges to its adoption. With over 7,600 islands, it was almost impossible to reach out to audiences in rural areas and cable TV companies primarily targeted the main towns and urban areas.
With the availability of satellite, Direct-to-Home (DTH) operators saw an opportunity to grow their business. Global Satellite Technology Services Inc. or GSAT originally launched its DTH service in 2009 on the NSS-11 Ku-band satellite, providing subscribers with affordable access to an improved mix of international and local programmes, including English, Mandarin, Korean, Tagalog, Japanese language and European channels.
In 2011, GSAT looked to expand its satellite capacity further and reach out to the entire nation with a high-quality HD programming package. GSAT selected SES as a stable, reliable satellite provider and used NSS-11 in orbital position of 108.2 degrees East. With the launch of SES-9 in 2016, the multi-year deal with GSAT saw the transfer of space and capacity usage from NSS-11 to the new satellite, SES’s largest satellite dedicated to the Asia-Pacific region. Complementary to this, GSAT constructed its state-of-the-art earth station with transmission equipment.
SES provides GSAT with full content distribution services via SES-9, enabling GSAT to reach every household and build a strong DTH business across the Philippines. Subscribers have access to a high-quality, affordable TV content package, with a mix of local and international channels in English and other languages. There are currently 20 high definition (HD) channels and 91 standard definition (SD) channels.
Engaging closely with GSAT, SES invests time and effort in helping them develop a strong distribution and installed base close to the customer
Today, GSAT is considered one of the biggest pay TV operators in the Philippines with the number of serviced households continuously growing. Consumers from both urban and rural areas benefit from a correctly priced DTH service with access to affordable yet high-quality content for entertainment and educational purposes.
“It was essential for us to work with a financially-stable and reliable company that we could rely on for our vital satellite capacity. SES has proved to be a trusted partner who understands our business and adapts with us, enabling us to grow our subscriber base and increase both the quality and quantity of our pay-TV channels"
Philip Chien, President and CEO, GSAT
