Frontier Communications has become the latest pay-TV operator to put SES S.A.’s 4K distribution platform into trial.
“We are optimistic that SES’s innovative, pre-packaged Ultra HD solution will allow for a smooth transition of Ultra HD delivery to Frontier subscriber homes nationwide,” said Steve Ward, senior VP of video technology & content for Frontier Communications, in a statement.
RELATED: Frontier offering free HBO and Showtime in Seattle and Portland amid ABC affiliate blackout
According to an SES announcement put out in November, the Luxembourg-based vendor currently has trial agreements for its managed Ultra HD platform with Marquette-Adams in Wisconsin, Buckeye Broadband in Ohio and Southeast Michigan, Service Electric Cable TV in Pennsylvania and enTouch Systems in Texas.
SES said the first wave of trials kicked last summer with Cable America in Missouri, Golden West Telecommunications in South Dakota, MTC Cable in New York and Sjoberg’s Cable TV in Minnesota.
RELATED: Fox Sports begins 4K broadcasts on DirecTV
These trials deliver 4K to customers either through managed IP multicast DOCSIS 3.0 streams (versus over-the-top internet connections) or traditional digital QAM transport streams.
“MVPDs across the country have been extremely impressed with our Ultra HD channel lineup and how satellite is enabling them to leap frog to the latest transmission technologies in order to accelerate the delivery of Ultra HD to their subscriber homes,” said Steve Corda, VP of business development for SES in North America.