German HD Channel To Launch On Astra

[Satellite News – 6-26-08] SES Astra will begin broadcasting public channel Arte in high definition (HD) July 1, the satellite operator announced.
The channel will be broadcast from Astra’s orbital position at 19.2° East using existing and previously contracted digital capacity. This will bring the number of HD channels distributed on Astra to 35, and the French-language version of Arte HD will be available at a later date.
“The launch of Arte HD confirms once again that HD broadcasting is gaining momentum,” Alexander Oudendijk, chief commercial offering of SES Astra, said in a statement.