Optus has announced that Australia’s newest state-of-the-art satellite, Optus D3, is fully operational after successfully completing extensive in-orbit testing ahead of schedule. Following the successful launch of the Optus D3 satellite on 22 August 2009 (AEST) from French Guiana, Optus has now completed a number of crucial tests at its geo-stationary 156 degrees East location. D3 will complement Optus’ existing four satellites providing services across Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica.

FOXTEL recently announced the new Optus D3 satellite will enable them to offer customers 30 additional channels, including 10 additional HD channels, enhanced navigation features, and significantly more interactive and on-demand features. Optus’ satellite fleet reaches all corners of the country delivering subscription television, free-to-air TV, voice, Internet, and radio services, making it an important source of news and entertainment for the entire population. The successful launch and operation of D3 demonstrates Optus’ commitment to keeping Australia and New Zealand at the forefront of satellite technology as we continue to invest in bringing communications capability, such as HDTV to more households.