[SatNews] SES ASTRA, an SES company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) has entered a new growth market, Bulgaria. The Bulgarian Direct-to-Home (DTH) operator Satellite BG will use three transponders at SES ASTRA’s 23.5 degrees East orbital position for broadcasting its channel portfolio to TV homes across Bulgaria. Satellite BG will launch its channel bouquet on February 1, 2011. The offer will consist of more than 70 channels including HD channels and all major public and commercial channels in Bulgaria. TV viewers wishing to receive Satellite BG will need a satellite dish pointed to 23.5 degrees East and a satellite receiver with a suitable smartcard and subscription.

SES ASTRA will also provide the Albanian Post with its satellite broadband service ASTRA2Connect to offer customers free Internet access in rural areas throughout the country. In addition, ASTRA2Connect will be used by the Albanian Post for its daily operations. Together with Starsat, the ASTRA2Connect distribution partner in Albania, broadband access via SES ASTRA’s innovative satellite broadband platform will be installed in 300 post offices, which is more than half of all the post offices in the country. The Albanian Post is the first postal operator to use the ASTRA2Connect satellite technology on such a wide scale. With the new service, customers in rural regions of Albania will get access to fast and reliable communications via the internet. Satellite broadband terminals in these post offices will enable them to use the internet for business and communication activities, such as internet browsing, e-mail, e-commerce, e-learning, e-payments and VoIP telephony. The project is a cornerstone of the government program “Digital Albania” which was launched in 2005.