By RACHNA LAL
Fiji Television Limited’s SKY Pacific will be moving from IntelSat 18 to a new satellite, IntelSat 19 from July.
This upgrade will mean all SKY Pacific satellite dishes will need to be pointed to a new position by the end of the transition period to ensure continued reception of SKY Pacific services.
The announcement came through the South Pacific Stock Exchange yesterday.
Fiji TV said the switchover to the new satellite and repointed of all SKY Pacific dishes is scheduled to be completed in the next three months.
It said during that time, IntelSat will changeover the signals of all broadcasters setting on IntelSat 18 to IntelSat 19.
SKY technicians are expected be visiting homes with SKY Pacific satellite dishes.
The statement indicated the scheduled times of on-site visits will be advertised extensively on Fiji TV’s network of channels and other media.
Decoder upgrade
Fiji TV’s manager SKY, TamarisiDigitaki, said the switchover will only be successful for MPEG4 version decoders.
“For customers with MPEG2 version decoders, this decoder will become obsolete after the changeover and customers have to upgrade to MPEG4version decoders before September 30, 2013,” she said.
“SKY Pacific customers are advised to wait for SKY technicians or authorised agents to repoint their satellite dishes.”
Regional services
The same applies for customers in all regional countries serviced by SKY Pacific.
Fiji TV also confirmed that subscribers in the Tokelau and Tuvalu will no longer be covered under the footprint of the new satellite but have managed to get Solomon Islands, Nauru and Kiribati back on board.
The new addition is Papua New Guinea.
The company is in further discussions with its satellite transponder space providers for a viable solution and/or compensation for affected customers and agents in these territories.