[Satellite TODAY 11-03-09] Eutelsat now has 100 high-definition TV channels broadcasting through its video satellites, the operator announced Nov. 2.
    Eutelsat reached the milestone with the launch off Sky Sport 1HD, a flagship channel of the latest HD package from the Sky Italia pay-TV platform.
    The operator said its HDTV channels have increased tenfold since mid-2006 and more than doubled since June 2008. A total of 42 percent of the 243 HD satellite channel streams in Europe and the Middle East are broadcast through a Eutelsat satellite, according to the operator.
    “We believe that the consumer expectation for a first-class HD experience and the suitability of our satellites for distributing HD content both Direct-to-Home and to cable, IP and DTT networks are guarantees of a long-term market for Eutelsat and the satellite industry,” said Eutelsat Commercial Director Olivier Milliès-Lacroix, in a statement.