New DirecTV satellite to bring 150 more HD channels

Posted March 20, 2008 at 06:34 PM by Elisabeth Young

Section: Audio, Satellite / HD Radio

At 3:48 pm today, a Boeing 702 model satellite was launched aboard a Sea Launch ZEnit-3SL rocket from the Odyssey Launch Platform.The new satellite called the DIRECTV 11 was introduced to enhance the HD capacity of DirecTV. Which means that subscribers will be getting an additional 150 new HD channels by this September. 

Today’s launch is just the first of two satellites that DirecTV is working on. The second satellite is currently being readied to deliver up to 200 HD channels sometime next year. The newly launched satellite is reportedly DirecTV’s tenth operated and owned satellite. The tests are not yet complete but if successful, subscribers can expect to surf more and more HD channels. 

According to DirecTV’s Content Strategy and Development executive vice-president Derek Chang:

“We are continuing to enhance the DIRECTV HD platform by broadcasting our exclusive, interactive sports packages like NCAA Mega March Madness, Nascar Hotpass and NFL Sunday Ticket all in HD and adding more HD content to our DirecTV On Demand VOD platform that will formally launch in the coming weeks.”

So the 92 national HD channels presently available will double before the year ends. Won’t channel surfing take a lot more time than it already does?

Read [Business Wire]