Astra releases HD+ figures

Satellite operator SES Astra has released the first figures for its HD platform HD+, showing that 769,000 German households receive the service.

HD+ is a technical platform that broadcasts encrypted free-to-air HD channels, including RTL HD, SAT.1 HD, ProSieben HD, Vox HD, Kabel Eins HD, RTL2 HD, Sport1 HD and Sixx HD. Following a one year trial period, customers pay a fixed “service” fee of €50 per year.

Astra said two thirds of customers choose to pay for the service once the trial period has ended. That equates to 114,000 paying customers at the end of March. Astra said a total of 827,000 HD+ receivers have been sold.

Wilfried Urner, CEO of HD+, said: “In a country where the question of whether people are willing to pay for television has been discussed for more than 20 years, the first figures of
HD+ are certainly remarkable. A conversion rate of 66% is clearly above the expectations, and the active renewal of the HD+ service by so many people after one year is an outstanding result. Broadcasters, manufactures and distributors have reasons to be more than satisfied. The first official figures of HD+ prove that HD+ meets a need in the German TV market.”