Hotbird 13°E: Ku-band capacity for Europe, North Africa and the Middle East

Hotbird 13° East is one of the most established video neighbourhoods in Europe. It is also one of the most useful: a single wide-beam Ku-band position reaching paid and free-to-air audiences across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The position is served by the Hotbird 13F and 13G satellites.

OHRVISION delivers capacity and the surrounding broadcast chain on 13°E — from capacity sizing and uplink coordination to encoding, playout, encryption and 24/7 monitoring. The service is designed for broadcasters launching a new channel, extending an existing one, or adding a resilient second path.

The position at a glance

• ~900 TV channels carried in the neighbourhood.
• 160M+ homes reached across the footprint.
• 3 regions served from one orbital slot: Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
• 40+ years of broadcast heritage at 13° East.

Figures are indicative and based on published Eutelsat 13° East neighbourhood data. Capacity and channel counts change; confirm the current position before planning a launch.

Why 13° East works

The case for 13°E is not only reach. It is the company a channel keeps.

The neighbourhood mixes premium pay-TV platforms with widely watched free-to-air channels. That matters commercially: viewers already point their dishes at 13°E, and platforms already aggregate content there. A new channel inherits an established viewing habit rather than asking audiences to retune.

The wide-beam Ku-band footprint spans Western and Central Europe through to the Middle East, with usable signal extending across North Africa and into parts of Central and South Asia (Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and Pakistan). One uplink can address several markets without a second orbital position.

Indicative wide-beam Ku-band footprint. Actual coverage and signal levels depend on the satellite beam, dish size and receiving conditions; confirm before planning.

Who you will be broadcasting alongside

The 13°E neighbourhood hosts a mix of major pay-TV platforms and free-to-air channels. A representative sample:

Major pay-TV platforms

• Sky Italia (Italy) — sports, entertainment, movies and news.
• Polsat Box and Canal+ Polska (Poland) — leading Polish digital TV providers.
• Bis TV (France) — French public and commercial broadcast package.
• Kabelio (Switzerland) — Swiss regional and international channel bouquet.
• Nova (Greece) — Greek premium satellite platform.

Prominent free-to-air channels

• International news: Euronews (multiple language tracks), TRT World, TVP World and Al Jazeera.
• European public broadcasters: TVP Polonia (Poland), 2M TV (Morocco), SNRT (Morocco) and 1TV Satellite (Armenia).
• Entertainment and special interest: Travelxp 4K, Museum TV International, MyZen TV, Super! (Italy) and Class TV Moda.

Platform and channel names are the property of their respective owners. Their presence describes the neighbourhood, not a partnership or endorsement.

What OHRVISION delivers

We scope the service around the channel, not a standard package. A typical 13°E deployment can include:

• Capacity design — transponder bandwidth, modulation and availability sized to the channel's quality target and budget.
• Link budget and uplink coordination — antenna, HPA/BUC and teleport arrangements, with rain margin modelled for the worst month.
• Encoding and playout — contribution, transcoding, multiplexing and playout integration.
• Encryption or free-to-air — conditional access, FTV carriage and key management where required.
• Monitoring and response — signal monitoring, NOC escalation and defined service levels.
• Commercial and regulatory support — capacity contracts, coordination and launch planning.

Capacity is sourced through OHRVISION's capacity partnerships and remains subject to availability and confirmation with the satellite operator.

Three ways to use the slot

Launch a channel. Full-time capacity, uplink and playout for a new linear service, with a launch plan that covers signal testing, EPG and platform coordination.

Extend an existing footprint. Add 13°E distribution alongside an existing satellite or terrestrial path without rebuilding the playout chain.

Protect an existing service. Use 13°E as a backup or disaster-recovery path, with pre-tested failover and monitoring.

What we need to scope it

Bring us the channel format, target markets, language(s), encryption or FTV preference, target picture quality, expected launch date and any existing platform or decoder agreements. We will come back with a capacity recommendation, a technical approach and an indicative budget.

Discuss Hotbird 13°E capacity

Coverage and channel figures are indicative, based on published Eutelsat 13° East neighbourhood data, and are subject to change. Confirm current availability and technical specifications before finalising any agreement.