The EPG gives viewers visibility to the entire channel line-up, with a preview of all programmes to be aired, filtered by content genre, including programme thumbnails – a first for the FTA market. This simplifies the user experience, enabling more viewers to be attracted to a channel’s content, meaning more value for advertisers and more revenues for the channel.

All channels are automatically installed on the satellite receivers, with a fixed channel numbering. As receivers are updated automatically overnight, new channels can be accessed by viewers immediately, with no complex reinstallation or re-scanning to be done by the end-user.

An easy-to-use, graphic-based navigation presents viewers with the channel name, logo, and channel genre, written in the local language (including Arabic script). Referenced with a single channel number, they can be discovered by filtering on a specific channel theme. This makes relevant channels easier to find by audiences who are interested in specific genres. The line-up of channels is organised according to geography and theme, so that channels are located together with similar channels.

Channels that are of interest to the viewer’s country are listed first, with a unique channel numbering system. This enables national broadcasters to be found more easily by their target audience. Broadcasters can also drive different audiences to different video feeds and customise advertising to specific audiences. By combining the massive audience of satellite broadcast, with targeted engagement, Sat.tv helps boost advertising revenues. Regionalised channel numbering is also a unique asset for countries extending their terrestrial TV (DTT) network with satellite coverage, as Sat.tv receivers can use the channel numbering required by the local regulator.

Sat.tv runs on low-cost set-top boxes and is being rapidly implemented by a wide range of set-top box manufacturers. It is free-of-charge for set-top box vendors, as well as for broadcasters operating at Eutelsat’s video hotspots.