PARIS and AMSTERDAM, September 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) continues to strengthen its Ultra HD expertise with industry-leading broadcasters and technology companies.

With the launch of Europe's first dedicated Ultra HD channel in January this year, Eutelsat has demonstrated how its satellites are gearing up to deliver the consumer broadcast industry's most exciting viewing experience. The satellite operator is today launching in Amsterdam a new channel with HEVC encoding that is multiplexed with the existing Quad HD signal in the same EUTELSAT 10A transponder. A third channel on the same satellite is dedicated to a partnership with Samsung to promote Ultra HD at point-of-sale outlets.

The new Ultra HD HEVC channel set up in partnership with ATEME will be operating at 30 frames per second and broadcasting Ultra HD content including from Fox International Channels and National Geographic Channel.

The third channel has been launched in partnership with Samsung. Benefiting from EUTELSAT 10A's pan-European footprint, it enables Samsung to reach exhibitions, industry shows, point-of-sale outlets and other promotional venues for demonstration on its expanding range of Ultra HD consumer displays. The channel is showcasing Ultra HD content specially produced by Samsung and Eutelsat to highlight the benefits of this new technology on Samsung equipment.

Working in partnership with Ericsson, Globecast, Newtec and SKY Italia, Eutelsat is also showing a live Ultra HD contribution proving the reliability of an end-to-end satellite-based delivery chain. The participating companies are demonstrating that the full satellite delivery chain is able to feed Ultra HD television channels, bringing positive implications for the quality of experience for viewers around the world who expect live coverage of news, sports and cultural events with the highest quality.

About Eutelsat Communications

With capacity commercialised on 32 satellites delivering reach of  Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, significant parts of the Americas and the Asia-Pacific, Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is one of the world's leading satellite operators. As of 30 June 2013, Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting more than 4,600 television channels to over 200 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The Group's satellites also provide a wide range of services for TV contribution, corporate networks and fixed and mobile broadband markets. Headquartered in Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries employ over 780 commercial, technical and operational professionals from 30 countries. http://www.eutelsat.com

SOURCE Eutelsat Communications