CAIRO: The North African satellite market is to get a new boost with satellite operator Eutelsat Communications announcing that it is to develop and build the Eutelsat 8 West B in order to boost capacity of broadcasting in the North Africa and Middle East regions. According to the company, the new satellite will be launched in 2015, “joining satellites already operated at the adjacent 7 degree west position by Eutelsat and the Egyptian satellite company, Nilesat." The move should see immediate impact upon delivering, with signals being boosted and a number of new channels and operators able to offer their services to customers across the region. Broadcasting services from both positions are received by satellite TV homes with a single small DTH dish. The Eutelsat 8 West B satellite will be equipped with 40 operational Ku-band transponders designed to serve DTH markets in North Africa and the Middle East. “It will also introduce a C-band mission to 8 degree west, with ten operational transponders connected to footprints covering the African continent and reaching west to South America. “Eutelsat will redeploy an existing Ku-band satellite to 8 degree west in 2013. This will increase resources in advance of the launch of Eutelsat 8 West B," the company said in announcing the new satellite. Analysts in the region say that as countries are expected to begin pushing a transfer from analogue to digital broadcasting, the new satellite will help alleviate such efforts and reduce loss of services in the region.
