[09/12/07 – Satellite Today] The Modern Times Group (MTG) is the latest player to look to tap into the pay-TV market in the Ukraine. The company, announced that through its subsidiary, Viasat, it had signed a partnership agreement, Sept. 11, with Strong Media Group to launch a digital premium DTH satellite TV operator in Ukraine.

While Viasat is already present in eastern Europe DTH, the entrance into the Ukraine is a significant move for the operator. Ukraine has an estimated population of over 46 million people and approximately 17 million TV households, and therefore represents a potentially attractive growth market for Viasat. In this pay-TV market, it will be competing with Poverkhnost, one of another up and coming pay-TV operators in the region. Eastern Europe is a hotbed for DTH services with many markets containing more than one operator. With Ukraine being one of the bigger growth markets, competition between operators is likely to be intense. Whether the market can ultimately sustain multiple operators is open to debate.

Viasat is one of the most diverse DTH providers anywhere in Europe. It has over 920,000 subscribers in the Nordic and Baltic countries, and is one of the strongest pay-TV brands throughout the region. Hans-Holger Albrecht, President and CEO of MTG admitted the launch of the platform "is an important development" in its expansion and growth strategy.