Those living in the Caribbean islands are about to enjoy more than 130 channels including 90 that are in HD as a result of a long term agreement of the satellite TV provider Kiwisat and SES' satellite SES-10.  Kiwisat's new DTH offering in the Caribbean provides top-quality but accessible TV entertainment to consumers on the islands focusing on English-speaking islands, with an exclusive package of American TV channels, but also includes three French-speaking channels for French subscribers.

As the first platform to rely on the DVB S2X and HEVC standards in the North American pay TV market, Kiwisat offers the largest HD line-up in the Caribbean region.

To support the roll-out of Kiwisat’s DTH platform, SES Video conducted an ELEVATE training program in Saint Martin, where Kiwisat is based. This training program provides antenna installers with the necessary skills to execute proper installations of satellite dishes in TV homes, ensuring that subscribers will enjoy problem free reception. SES has trained 10 installers to help Kiwisat deploy its platform.

Andrew Wang, CEO of Kiwisat said that the TV options in the Caribbean are quite limited in terms of quality and price, so when they decided to launch their TV offer in the region, they set very high standards for themselves because they wanted to bring the best possible service to their consumers. SES has a track-record of providing high-quality broadcasting services which suited their expectations, but what truly made the difference is their full-fledged support. SES has been working with them every step of the way to build this project, and activities such as the ELEVATE training program really added value to their business. Wang could not think of a better partner than SES to accompany them on their journey.

Jurandir Pitsch, Vice President, Sales and Market Development for Latin America and Caribbean, SES Video said they are very excited to support Kiwisat in bringing new TV entertainment choices to the population in the Caribbean. Their SES-10 satellite, designed exclusively for Latin America, offers ideal coverage for Kiwisat over the Caribbean, with one beam dedicated to this area and Mexico. As the leading HD/UHD platform worldwide, SES Video is very well positioned to distribute high picture quality content to Kiwisat’s subscribers.