Mexico’s TV Azteca taps Eutelsat 17 West A satellite

Mexican broadcaster, TV Azteca, a subsidiary of telecom operator, Grupo Salinas, has renewed its satellite capacity multi-year agreement with Eutelsat Communications, leveraging Eutelsat 117 West A satellite for video distribution services in Mexico.

Operating a video multiplex to deliver its HD channels to digital TV towers and cable head-ends across Mexico, TV Azteca will tap Eutelsat 117 West A’s l C-band coverage of the region to distribute its satellite television service.

The satellite operator said the new resources on Eutelsat 117 West A will potentially allow TV Azteca to provide a broader range of video services.

Eutelsat Group’s 117° West location offers pan-regional distribution of major networks and content providers, and is the premium TV neighbourhood for Latin America, according to Eutelsat.

An estimate of 400 TV channels, 80 in HD, are currently distributed to over 110 million TV homes across the continent. 117° West is also a growing free-to-air TV neighbourhood with 100 TV channels broadcasting, including channels from key regional public and private broadcasters, said Eutelsat.

Eutelsat recently announced the merge with OneWeb was complete, with the two satellite companies forming the Eutelsat Group. The company will remain headquartered in Paris, with OneWeb to become a subsidiary operating commercially as Eutelsat. OneWeb’s operations will remain in London, with the OneWeb network already active and set to be globally operational by end of 2023.

Commenting on the expanded partnership,José Ignacio González-Núñez, Eutelsat’s group senior regional vp, media sales Americas, added: “We are delighted to announce a continuity in our commercial relationship with one of our most important partners in Mexico, which values the strong local and regional presence we have. At Eutelsat Group, we are committed to reinforcing such a relationship, not only in Mexico but beyond, over other latitudes as well”.