BT Broadcast Services is offering a range of digital TV and Internet services across the Middle East on the newly launched Nilesat 102 at 7 West satellite.

A new nine metre antenna accessing Nilesat 102 at BT’s Martlesham Teleport enables broadcasters to deliver direct-to-home (DTH) TV and fast Internet services to the region in a single hop from the UK. A return path from the Middle East is also available.

With the satellite footprint covering the Middle East and North Africa, Nilesat 102 supports TV services from DTH to shopping channels as well as Internet and e-commerce applications.

Salah Hamza, head of engineering at Nilesat said: ‘Nilesat 102 features a new receive capability enabling the satellite to be accessed from the UK for the first time. With the help of BT and its new gateway, media companies can now transmit TV and data services directly from London into the Middle East and North Africa.

‘Nilesat launched this second satellite to meet the space segment requirements of new and existing customers as our first satellite, Nilesat 101, is completely occupied by 80 Arabic and international TV channels,’ added Hamza.

Tony Rybacki, general manager, commercial, BT Broadcast Services said: ‘Utilising our new infrastructure and working with Nilesat, Broadcast Services offers high quality and cost-effective broadcast and Internet services to the Arab speaking world in a single hop from the UK.

‘The new service on Nilesat further extents our permanent satellite portfolio enabling Broadcast Services to offer customers TV and Internet distribution services in any region globally,’ concluded Rybacki.

For further information please contact:

BT Broadcast Services:

Jayne Bassham/Alex Laity/Seema Lalloo, Spreckley Partners Limited, telephone: 020 7388 9988

For more information about BT Broadcast Services visit world-wide web site on http://www.broadcast.bt.com.