German Subscribers To Get Sky HD+ This Summer

For many people in Europe the way they get their TV programming is over Sky receivers. SES Astra has announced that Sky subscribers in Germany will soon get access to HD+ service with commercial free TV channels. The new service will land starting this summer.

Any subscriber with satellite reception and a Sky HD receiver will be able to access the commercial free HD+ channels. The subscriber will need the German pay TV package though. The existing HD receivers will need no new programming or add ons to access the service.

HD+ has eight commercial free stations available right now including RTL HD, SAT.1 HD, ProSieben HD, VOX HD, kabel eins HD, RTL II HD, SPORT 1 HD and sixx HD. Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO of SES ASTRA, said, "Our cooperation with Sky significantly extends the technical reach of HD+ and adds another highly attractive target group with a strong affinity to premium programmes and high end technologies like HDTV. The cooperation with Sky and the increase of our technical reach underpin the high attractiveness of the HD+ offer for broadcasters and viewers, and confirm that our concept of a neutral technical platform available to all viewers and platforms is successful."