Canal Digital Sees Subscriber Numbers Fall

[Satellite Today – 2-13-08] Canal Digital, the Nordic DTH platform owned by Telenor, ended 2007 with 932,000 subscribers. This was one of the highlights of Telenor’s full-year and fourth quarter results issued Feb. 13. This represents a disappointing performance as the platform actually lost subscribers between September and the end of December. At the end of September, it had 935,000 subscribers. In fact, over 2007, Canal Digital lost 11,000 subscribers across the Nordic region, which indicates the platform has had its struggles in 2007.
    However, while Canal Digital struggles in the DTH arena, Telenor has been boosted this week by the successful launch of its Thor 5 satellite, which was launched by a Proton Breeze M launch vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Feb. 12. The Thor 5 satellite will now go through extensive in-orbit testing before it is brought into its final geostationary position at 1° West and commence operating commercial services. Thor 5 will carry all broadcasting services which currently reside on Thor 2 and provide additional capacity to allow growth in the Nordic region and expansion into central and eastern Europe.