BT and Thane Direct have teamed up to launch TrendPro TV, a new German-language shopping channel. The channel is the first DTH service to take advantage of BT’s Astra 1G satellite platform, which was launched in September. The channel is aimed at the 5.3 million digital viewers in European German-speaking countries.

BT will repurpose Thane’s English-language program content for the German-speaking market and manage the distribution of the signal. Once the feed has been repurposed, compressed and multiplexed, the signal will be uplinked to the Astra 1G Satellite.

Simon Orme, director of sales, BT Broadcast Services said, “The Astra platform, located at 19.2 degreesE, provides access to the largest digital satellite audience in Western Europe. Trendpro TV has been quick to take advantage of the easy access to the German-speaking European market that BT’s service provides.”