France 24 begins tests on HbbTv together with Astra and Orange

At the beginning of 2012, France 24 will launch a new hybrid TV service (HbbTV) with the support of Orange and SES.

The French news channel France 24 y GlobeCast have announced that they will launch, at the beginning of the year, a new hybrid TV service (HbbTV) with the support of Orange and SES. The service, which will be offered to France24 satellite viewers, initially in Western Europe, will add a layer of interactivity to satellite television programming.

Throughout 2012, satellite viewers with connected televisions will be able to interact with France 24 in both its linear and non-linear programming offerings through their broadband connection and without any additional equipment or hardware. This will demonstrate HbbTV's ability to improve the quality of experience for DTH tv users.

GlobeCast will bring its broadcast experience and knowledge of connected television to this project. It will also offer shuttle and uplink services from its technical operations center in Paris. The satellite signal will be distributed via one of the Astra satellites at 19.2 degrees East, SES' main orbital position in Western Europe. Orange, for its part, will allow content providers to benefit from the latest technical solutions, offering higher quality of service to the end viewer. This service will be developed within the framework of its strategic smart grid program.

France 24 es una cadena televisiva de noticias en continuado francesa, de capital semipúblico. Sus accionistas son la cadena privada TF1 propiedad del grupo Grupo Bouygues y el ente público de televisión francesa France Télévision. La cadena emitió por primera vez el jueves 7 de diciembre de 2006. Actualmente cuenta con 3 versiones idiomáticas diferentes, en francés, inglés y árabe. La versión en idioma español lo estará próximamente