Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) and the SOLAR Group will launch a new D service in the Philippines

Bermuda and Hong Kong, 22nd May 2017 - ABS, a leading satellite operator and the SOLAR Group, one of the largest content providers in the Philippines have formed a joint venture partnership to launch the first nationwide Free-to-View Direct-to-Home (DTH) television service in the Philippines.

The new service will be available on C-band via the ABS-6 satellite covering the Philippines. Unlike most Ku-band DTH services, the C-band service will not be susceptible to rain degradation. The free-to-view platform is scheduled to launch in Q3 2017 and will host a bouquet of 40-50 high quality domestic and international channels. Content will include different genres of programming from general entertainment, music, movies, sports, lifestyle, infotainment, children's and local content. Unlike other pay TV services, consumers in the Philippines will only need to make a one-time purchase of an affordable DTH kit which includes a small parabolic antenna and decoder set-top-box (STB), and will be able to enjoy an array of digital quality and compelling programming with no monthly fees.

We are very excited to announce this joint collaboration with the SOLAR Group to launch a Free-to-View DTH service in the Philippines. The SOLAR Group is one of the most highly respected broadcast and media companies in the Philippines. This is a perfect strategic partnership with each party bringing unique strengths and experience to drive the success of this platform, said CEO of ABS Tom Choi. For the first time in the Philippines, everyone will be able to afford high quality television programming for free, including consumers living in the rural areas and outlying islands.

SOLAR Group President and CEO Wilson Y. Tieng said, ABS' comprehensive understanding of this business was a key factor in our decision to work together and launch this platform in the Philippines. With their extensive experience on launching and operating similar DTH services in other markets like in Indonesia, they were able to bring their expertise in designing and operating the platform. This allowed us to focus on programming, marketing and distribution, rather than technical operations.

About ABS

ABS is one of the fastest growing global satellite operators in the world. ABS offers a complete range of tailored solutions including broadcasting, data and telecommunication services to broadcasters, service providers, enterprises and government organizations.

ABS operates a fleet of satellites: ABS-2, ABS-2A, ABS-3, ABS-3A, ABS-4/Mobisat-1, ABS-6, and ABS-7. The satellite fleet covers over 93% of the world's population across the Americas, Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, CIS and Russia.

Headquartered in Bermuda, ABS has offices in the United States, UAE, South Africa and Asia. ABS is majority owned by funds managed by the European Private Equity firm Permira.

For more information, visit: www.absatellite.com

About SOLAR

Solar Entertainment Corporation is the largest content provider and channel operator in Southeast Asia. It is committed to elevating the network to a global standard and maintaining Solar as a leader and innovator in the industry. Until today, Solar continues to widen its programming to meet the demands of emerging audiences.

For more details, log on to http://solarentertainmentcorp.com/.

LINK:	http://www.absatellite.com/2017/05/22/asia-broadcast-satellite-abs-and...
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