[Satnews] Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat) has reached a multi-year lease agreement with Sony Pictures Networks India Pvt. Ltd. (SPN) for a C-band transponder on AsiaSat 7.

SPN is one of India’s leading entertainment television and digital networks. The AsiaSat 7 capacity will support SPN’s expansion of SD and HD television services in India, the world’s fastest growing payTV market. In April, SPN will start broadcasting on AsiaSat 7 a new bouquet of SD and HD channels to Indian cable and payTV networks.

“As we continue to expand our TV channel offerings, availability of transponder space is a critical requirement. Our partnership with AsiaSat enables us to expand our reach into the Indian sub-continent delivering quality programming to our diverse audiences. We look forward to working closely with AsiaSat to deliver our industry-leading TV services to more viewers across this dynamic TV market,” said Humsa Dhir, Senior Vice President & Head, PR & Corporate Communications, Sony Pictures Networks India.

“On AsiaSat 7, SPN enjoys instantaneous access to all cable operators big and small and pay TV platforms across the country and in the Indian sub-continent. SPN’s comprehensive entertainment programming is a strong addition to the TV service offerings on our platform. SPN is a key player in the region and we are very excited to play an expanding role in facilitating its service penetration in India, one of our prime markets,” said Philip Balaam, Vice President of Sales and Business Development, AsiaSat.