Satellite operator SES (Euronext Paris:SESG) says six more U.S. cable operators have joined its UltraHD video trials, while some of the first cable providers to participate are nearing the launch of UltraHD across the country. The company began the trials last July.
New participants include Aureon in Iowa, GVTC Communications in Texas, Highlands Cable Group in North Carolina, KPU Telecommunications in Alaska, Service Electric in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and Shrewsbury Community Cable in Massachusetts.
SES says 15 cable operators and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs), with a combined audience of more than 7 million subscribers, are currently testing 4K content delivery across SES's managed, pre-packaged UltraHD platform. The platform includes UltraHD programming, satellite distribution services and reception gear.
"Our SES Ultra HD solution is on course to enable live and linear UltraHD delivery to homes in half the time it took HD to reach the same television milestone across the U.S.," said Steve Corda, vice president of business development in North America for SES. "Cable operators have been extremely impressed with how easy it is to implement our pre-packaged UltraHD solution across their networks. By leveraging the scalability and reliability of satellite, SES has greatly accelerated the delivery of UltraHD to homes throughout North America. Some of the first cable operators to join our UltraHD trials early last year are now on the verge of launching the very first consumer UltraHD packages in the U.S."