Bellsouth signed an agreement with SES Americom to test a satellite-based video distribution service as Bellsouth ramps ups its Internet protocol (IP) TV plans.

BellSouth will test IP Prime, which enables telcos to bundle and distribute standard-definition and high-definition TV programming with voice and broadband services.

SES Americom will provide Bellsouth with video aggregation, encoding, monitoring, and transport over the IP Prime platform, which is based at the SES Americom IPTV Broadcast Center in Vernon Valley, N.J.