Rumor: China to Reduce Free Direct Broadcast Satellite Channels
Sarft.net, 7/14/09
Bidding for the second phase of the Chinese government's Cuncuntong rural direct broadcasting satellite (DBS) project has been postponed from its originally scheduled June and July dates until at least October, according to a number of DBS set-top box manufacturers. Several industry firms also said that the DBS technology and operations of China's free DBS television satellite, Chinasat-9, may require some adjustments, as two of the satellite's four repeaters will broadcast encrypted signals, reducing the number of free television channels from 45 to 24 or 25. The adjustment proposal, however, has not yet received official approval.
Editor's Note: SARFT began soliciting bids in December 2008. For more information, please see "7 Companies to Win SARFT Satellite TV STB Bids", MD, 12/13/08.
Keywords: bidding Cuncuntong DBS rural satellite TV television set-top box government initiative Chinasat-9